


Fallen Sky

by Madangel19



Series: Skyfall [2]
Category: Transformers (Bay Movies), Transformers - All Media Types
Genre: Adoption, Child Death, Cute Kids, Everything is Beautiful and Everything Hurts, F/F, F/M, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Mutual Pining, Not Canon Compliant, Revenge, Robot/Human Relationships, Rollercoaster of Emotions, Torture, a bit OOC, a lil bit of romance on the side, happy times for a while, protect the innocent, until everything goes bad
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2021-01-09
Packaged: 2021-03-05 04:55:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 6
Words: 25,028
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25498693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madangel19/pseuds/Madangel19
Summary: Anna Sky is finally living a good life years after her ordeal with Megatron. She has a good job working with the Autobots, she's married to the love of her life, and she's about to adopt a child. Everything seems to be going well until a certain Decepticon decides to come back for her. Now Anna must do whatever it takes to protect her family.
Relationships: Optimus Prime/Original Female Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Female Character
Series: Skyfall [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1978717
Comments: 2
Kudos: 3





	1. A Bright Future

**Author's Note:**

> Hey ya'll! I finally got around to writing a sequel to Pet. I hope ya'll enjoy this :D

The night sky was filled with more stars than usual as Anna smiled up at them. Another visitor was coming very soon. She was sure of it. She hoped it was an Autobot this time. Many soldiers and a few Autobots were positioned around her as they waited. Some appeared nervous and ready to pull out their weapons if the new arrival was a Decepticon. Her job was tough, but there were some parts of it that she simply loved. Welcoming Autobots to earth and making sure they were safe and acquainted always made her happy.   
It had been eight years since her ordeal with Megatron. Her body had purged his influence over her and with some help from Nest and many doctors, she was able to recover physically. The nightmares stayed with her, but she knew she was safe.   
Months after her recovery, she joined the special forces with Nest. The training was brutal, but she was able to complete it all without much trouble. She had helped hunt down Decepticons, but most of her duties now included making sure new Autobots were safe on earth. She wanted to hunt down all the Decepticons, but it was getting more and more dangerous. She insisted on joining more intense missions if it meant facing Megatron. She wanted to see him fall, but she was kept away from those missions. She wasn't experienced enough compared to some of her older colleagues.   
Anna felt her phone vibrate. It was most likely another message from her wife, Grace. She smirked, knowing it was an update on the little girl they were planning to adopt. She would check her phone after the arrival.   
The ground shook around her. Anna turned and saw Optimus Prime approaching. His gaze was focused on the stars before he turned his attention on her.   
"You look excited, Anna. Are you looking forward to this one?" He asked.  
"I have a good feeling about this one, Optimus. Also, I'm pretty sure we get to find out if we'll be able to adopt little Valerie," Anna replied, smiling up at him. There was a look of surprise in his optics before he chuckled softly. A few other Autobots heard her and perked up at the mention of Valerie.  
"I'm sure you'll be able to adopt her. I look forward to meeting her," he said.   
"Everyone focus! I can see something up there," Lennox spoke up.   
Anna turned her attention back to the stars and saw a familiar ball of fire falling from the sky. It was getting closer and closer before it finally crashed a ways away. It looked like it was less than a mile away.   
"Let's go!" Lennox ordered as the soldiers began to run in the direction of the crash. Anna ran close behind Optimus. She looked to and fro for any sign of Decepticons, but saw nothing. That was a good sign, but she was still ready to protect herself if anything where to happen.   
A few moments passed before they came across the crash sight. The new arrival had just crawled out of the wreckage and looked over at the soldiers in surprise. Anna didn't pull her guns out, but a few other soldiers were ready to shoot. The new arrival was armed and glared at the humans in suspicion, but when he saw Optimus and the Autobots, he put down his weapons with a laugh.   
"Good to see ya, Prime!" The Autobot crowed as he rushed over to Optimus. Lennox motioned for the soldiers to put their guns away as the Autobot went up to Optimus and clapped him on the shoulder with a loud laugh.   
"It's good to see you too, Crosshairs. Let me introduce you to our comrades," Optimus said, smiling as he turned to the soldiers. Anna nervously walked up to the new arrival and smiled as she took her helmet off.  
"Welcome to Earth," she chimed, her smile beaming.

Anna let out a soft sigh as she sat in the military vehicle. The new Autobot, Crosshairs, had been welcomed and acquainted with Nest. He was a loud, smug fellow and in need of a proper disguise very soon. He didn't like the simple volkswagen the team had brought along, saying it was ugly as all hell and he continued to complain the rest of the drive. She looked forward to seeing what he would choose as his disguise.   
She was eager to check her phone, but she wanted to wait until they got to the Nest base. She wanted Optimus to hear the news as well. When she and Grace broke the news that they were planning to adopt a child, Optimus was happy for them and elated when they agreed to make him the honorary godfather of the child.   
They had been searching and searching, but most places turned Grace and Anna away because of who they were. They were about to give up hope before they went to Jessica for help. She had found a few orphanages for them who were more accepting of same-sex couples. It took some time before they met Valerie, a little four year old girl who had been dropped off at the orphanage when she was just a few days old. Anna fell hard for the sweet girl after talking with her for a few days and so did Grace. And now tonight was the night when they would find out if they were able to adopt Valerie.   
They got back to the Nest base and were de-briefed on current events. Crosshairs was welcomed by the rest of the Autobots the moment he transformed. Anna watched them with a soft smile, not paying much attention to the debriefing. She wanted to meet up with Optimus so they could find out together.   
The debriefing went on forever before it finally ended. Sighing, she made her way over to the Autobots who were being debriefed by Optimus.  
"Anyone want to find out if I'm going to be a mom?" She asked excitedly as she went up to one of the many raised platforms to be eye level with them.   
"I'd love to hear the news," Ratchet said. Bumblebee hummed excitedly, nodding his head.   
"You're a mother? You look a bit young to be poppin' out babies," Crosshairs said, giving her a curious look.   
"Tell us," Ironhide crowed. The others nodded in agreement, eager to hear the news. It didn't take long for them to find out her plans after telling Optimus. She had their full support.   
"I'm sure you will be giving us very good news, Anna," Optimus said as Anna pulled out her phone. She took a deep breath as she unlocked her phone and went to Grace's message. She gazed at the update for a few minutes, not talking. She was aware of the Autobots watching her and slowly looked up at them with tears in her eyes.   
"Is that a good look for a human? I don't think that's a good look," Crosshairs spoke up.   
"Tears of joy?" Ratchet asked.   
Anna wiped away the tears and smiled up at the Autobots.   
"We pick up Valerie this Friday," she announced.   
Bumblebee was the first to cheer, playing celebratory music. Anna had told him that he could be Valerie's uncle if they were able to adopt her and he was beyond excited about that.   
"Congratulations, Anna," Optimus said, a big smile on his faceplates. The other Autobot gave her their congratulations. The music from Bumblebee was getting louder, alerting Lennox and his men nearby.   
"What's going on over there?" He asked.   
"I'm gonna be a mom!" Anna declared. 

Bumblebee was playing celebratory music nonstop on the drive back home. Anna couldn't help but giggle as she listened to him. She was beyond happy and she looked forward to celebrating with her wife. Her life was turning around for the better. She was sure the Decpeticons wouldn't bother trying to get her back. She knew how to defend herself now. It had been years and nothing awful had happened besides the few minor injuries from combat. This was perfect.   
"Baby, baby, baby. Oh baby~," Bumblebee played over the radio.   
"Valerie's four years old, Bee. Not really a baby," Anna said with a soft giggle.   
"Baby is baby," Bumblebee replied.   
"You know what, you're right. Valerie is gonna be our baby. Our little girl," Anna said, feeling more tears well up in her eyes. She had been having wonderful dreams about getting the news about Valerie and finally bringing her home. It had felt like a lifetime since she had a nightmare. She glanced up at the night sky, hoping Valerie would enjoy her new family. She hadn't told her about the Autobots during their meetings. All she had told her was that she was going to have many uncles and aunts who looked forward to meeting her when she was adopted. Valerie was excited when she heard about that.   
Some time had passed before Bumblebee got to their house. Anna smiled at her home. It was a comfortable home in a decent neighborhood. It was just outside a bustling city that was well protected by the government. Bumblebee drove into the open garage which was the perfect size for him if he chose to get out of his disguise.   
"Get ya girl," Bumblebee said as he opened his door, letting her out. Anna giggled before rushing inside, eager to find her wife and celebrate.   
"Grace! I'm home!" She chimed as she got in. It was surprisingly dark inside. Anna paused as she took in her surroundings. Why was it so quiet? Anna felt a tightness in her chest when she didn't see Grace around.   
"Grace?" She called out as she checked the ground floor for her wife. She checked her phone and saw that it was past midnight. Grace was probably asleep by now. That had to be it.   
Anna made her way upstairs and went to their bedroom. Grace wasn't in there. There wasn't any sign of struggle in the house. Everything was untouched.   
"She's fine. She's okay," she murmured to herself. She would have known if anything was wrong. Their home was heavily secured. She would have gotten a notification if something happened.   
Anna's mind was racing. She couldn't start panicking now. Where didn't she check? She thought long and hard before Aria's room came to mind. Anna went to Valerie's room and turned on the light. Grace was sitting in an armchair, fast asleep. A sigh of relief escaped from her lips as she clutched her chest. She had been trembling.  
"Damn," she murmured before composing herself. She approached her wife and knelt by her side, watching her sleep and thinking about their future. She was beyond glad that she was safe. She wasn't sure what she would do without her.   
"Time to get you in bed," she whispered as she carefully picked her up. She had been getting stronger over the years through her intense training from work and working out with the help of her new friends. Before, she could barely pick up her wife. Now, she could pick her up with ease. It almost always made her taller wife laugh when she would sweep her off her feet.   
Anna smiled as she finally got Grace back to their room and laid her down. She kissed her forehead and went to get ready for bed. After showering and getting her pajamas on, she went to bed and cuddled close to her wife, sighing happily. She looked forward to Friday. 

Friday...

Anna couldn't stop smiling as she looked back at Valerie in the backseat. Valerie was humming happily to herself while licking a lollipop. She noticed Anna watching and waved at her.   
"You excited to see your new home, baby?" Anna asked. Valerie only nodded in response. She was a shy, quiet little girl. When they first met, she didn't talk much, but after multiple meetings, she opened up more to Anna and Grace. Anna could only imagine what would happen when Valerie finally met the Autobots. She hoped she wouldn't be scared.   
"We are family~," Bumblebee played over the radio. He was practically buzzing with life as he drove down the highway. Anna could tell how eager he was to reveal himself to his niece.   
"Your radio is funny," Valerie said. Grace, who had been "driving", chuckled softly as she went to change the station.  
"Anything you want to listen to, Val?" She asked.   
"Frozen!" Aria chimed.   
Grace pulled her hand away from the radio as Bumblebee took control. There was mumbled static before the start of "Let It Go" began. Valerie let out a little cheer as she began to sing along to the song. Anna watched her sing for a while before turning her attention to Grace and smiling like an idiot.   
"Looks like we'll need to go to the mall this weekend and get her Frozen stuff," she crowed, taking her hand and kissing it tenderly.   
"Anything for our little girl," Grace said, smiling back at her sweetly.   
Bumblebee continued to play Disney music for Valerie before he suddenly took a turn that was the opposite way of going home. Anna looked out and noticed he was driving to the nearby lake. She realized what was probably going to happen and smiled. She pulled out her phone and saw a message from Optimus. He was waiting at the lake.   
"We have a big surprise for you, Valerie," she said, turning to look at her daughter who perked up at the mention of a surprise.   
"Where are we going?" Valerie asked, looking out the window. They were taking the scenic route through the surrounding forest. This was perfect.   
"We're going to meet someone very special, baby," Anna said. There was a twinkle in Valerie's eye that made Anna love her even more.   
Bumblebee soon drove out to a clearing. Looking around, Anna saw Optimus parked by the lake. There was no one else around. They were safe as Bumblebee parked next to Optimus.   
"That's a big truck," Valerie said.   
"Sure is, baby," Anna smiled as she got out and helped Valerie out of her seat. She pecked her on the cheek as she carried her so that they were standing in front of Optimus.   
"Valerie, we have two very special people here who want to meet you," Anna started, giving Optimus and Bumblebee a nod while placing a confused Valerie on the ground. Valerie looked like she was about to say something before the Autobots transformed before her. She froze and latched on to Anna's leg as she watched the transformations with wide eyes.   
"Who are they?" She whispered as Optimus and Bumblebee stood before them.   
"Valerie, this is Optimus Prime. Your godfather," Anna said while motioning to him. Optimus smiled as he knelt before them, holding out his hand to her. Bumblebee knelt as well, looking very eager. He was brimming with excitement.   
"Hello, Valerie. It's so good to finally meet you," Optimus said. Valerie was silent, hiding behind Anna's leg while still gazing at Optimus with her big brown eyes.   
"She's a bit shy, but I'm sure she'll warm up to you in no time," Grace said.   
"And this is Bumblebee. He's gonna be your uncle. He's the one who played all that Disney music for you," Anna chimed. Bumblebee nodded and proceeded to play a song from Frozen. Valerie giggled a bit and came out from hiding to stand before the Autobots.   
"Not scared?" Bumblebee asked with a soft buzz. Valerie shook her head in response. She looked back at Anna and Grace with a look on her face asking if she should go forward. Anna smiled and gave her a thumbs up.   
"What are you?" Valerie asked as she inched closer to them. 

Anna sat next to Grace on the grass as she watched Optimus tell Valerie all about the Autobots and space. Valerie was asking all sorts of questions and becoming all the more brave as she crawled onto Optimus's open palm. Anna felt a bit of mom-panic set in when Optimus raised her to eye level, but she knew Valerie was in very good hands.   
"When can I meet the others? I wanna see them," Valerie said.   
"Very soon, little one. They're eager to see you as well. We will arrange a day for you to come visit," Optimus replied as he carefully handed her to Bumblebee.   
"Can't you guys come to us?" Valerie asked. Bumblebee shook his head, buzzing softly.   
"Even though this lake is very secluded, it would be very…odd if people were to come by and see us all by mistake. We're still a secret to most of the world and it's safer if we keep it that way," Optimus said. Valerie looked confused, but it didn't look like she was going to ask any further questions.  
Anna sighed and looked up at the sunset. They had to get home soon.   
"It's getting late, Val. You still need to see your new home," she said as she stood up. She offered Grace her hand and helped her up.   
"But I wanna listen to Papa Prime talk some more," Valerie whined, pouting a bit as Bumblebee lowered her to the ground. A soft smile formed on Anna's lips at that. She was glad her daughter was enjoying her family so much. She looked over at Optimus who appeared to be flattered at the new title.   
"We have lots of surprises for you back home, Val. You don't wanna miss out on all that," she said as Bumblebee transformed.   
"We will meet again, little one. I promise," Optimus said.   
"You pinkie promise?" Valerie asked. Anna giggled a bit when she saw the confused expression on his faceplates as he gazed down at Valerie. He looked over at Bumblebee who buzzed happily while holding up his pinkie fingers and locking them together. Optimus nodded before turning his attention back to Valerie.   
"I pinkie promise that we will meet again, Valerie," he said while holding out his pinkie finger to her. Valerie smiled as she tried her best to lock her pinkie around his. It was a sweet sight. Anna wished she had her phone out at the moment.   
Valerie sighed and pulled away to stand by Anna's side. She still gazed up at Optimus in pure awe.  
"Stay safe, you three," Optimus said while standing to his full height. Valerie still looked at her godfather as Anna helped her into her seat.   
"She really likes you," Anna chimed as she walked over to the passenger seat, smiling up at Optimus.   
"Keep her safe, Anna. You have an important role as a protector now," Optimus replied before transforming.   
"I will," Anna replied, watching him drive off. She let out a soft sigh and got into Bumblebee. Valerie was asking all kinds of questions about her new family in her seat while Bumblebee buzzed and hummed in response.   
"What do you think of your new family, Val?" Grace asked.   
"I love it!" Valerie chimed as Bumblebee began the drive home. 

All was surprisingly quiet on the Nemesis. Megatron sat in his private quarters, watching a live feed of Skyfall's home. He could just go down there and take her, but he needed an actual plan.   
The past few years had been dreadful. He had lost so many soldiers and was forced to operate his plans safe in space. He hated that damned planet, but he wouldn't let the Autobots reign victorious. He had too much unfinished business.  
He had been watching her. Every day she was growing stronger and more determined. He couldn't help but feel a sense of pride. He had caused this in the first place. There would be a day when he would go down and face her. He looked forward to seeing that determination melt away, revealing pure fear when she was in his claws once more. He had a lot planned for that girl.   
He perked up when he switched the cameras so that he could see inside her home. She was just getting home with the child she had adopted. Getting closer to the screen, he glared at the little thing while turning on the audio.  
"Welcome home, Valerie," Anna chimed, her voice glitching out.   
"Valerie~," Megatron purred, smiling cruelly at the screen while thinking of a plan.


	2. Welcome to the Family

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valerie is finally taken to Nest. Things seem to go well before Anna discovers something horrible

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Violence and child death (No one major)

The sound of laughter filled the air as Anna watched Valerie running around in a field. The child looked absolutely carefree as she ran and picked up as many flowers as she possibly could. With a sigh, she rested in the tall grass and looked over at Grace who had fallen asleep next to her. Everything was perfect. Simply perfect.   
Anna watched Valerie run and run before she disappeared behind a hill. She was still laughing, but it sounded like she was getting further and further away.   
"Don't go too far, Val," Anna called out.   
"I won't, Mama!" Valerie's voice replied. Anna sat up some more when Valerie's laughs got more distant until they completely stopped.   
"Valerie?" Anna said as she turned to wake up Grace. She wasn't there.   
A scream over the hill broke the silence. That was Valerie screaming. Anna jumped to her feet and ran in the direction of her scream. The screams stopped when she went over the hill. Anna froze. Valerie was sitting in the middle of an arranged circle of bodies that she had only seen in past dreams. Valerie turned toward her with absolute terror in her eyes.   
"Mama, help!" She screamed as the sky turned red. Anna broke out of her trance and made a mad dash for her child. Everything began to fall apart around her feet the closer she got. Valerie tried to move before she was sucked into the darkness with a horrific scream. Anna let out an anguished scream as the sound of a jet filled the air. She looked up and saw a very familiar alien jet flying right for her. 

Anna gasped as she opened her eyes. Sitting up, she found that she was in bed with Grace fast asleep by her side. She clutched her chest, trying to stop herself from crying. She instinctively rubbed the back of her neck, but felt no prickle there. She hadn't had a dream like that in a long time. It haunted her.   
She had to see Valerie. She got out of bed, not bothering to reattach her prosthetic arm. Valerie's safety was more important right now.  
All was eerily quiet as she made her way to Valerie's room. It didn't make things any better after that awful dream.   
"Please be there. Please be there," she murmured to herself as she opened Valerie's door. She was greeted by the sight of Bumblebee looking in from Valerie's window. He had been watching Valerie who was fast asleep in bed. It looked like her bed had been dragged so that it was closer to the window. He saw Anna and buzzed softly in alarm, stepping back a bit. He stepped forward, looking at Anna with a concerned look in his optics.   
"You okay?" He asked.   
"I…I'm fine. Just…I just had a bad dream and…I had to check in on Val," Anna replied as she went to Valerie's bedside. A tiny smile crept onto her lips when she saw how peaceful Valerie looked in her sleep. The sight of her made her feel better.   
"How long were you watching her?" She asked, turning her attention to Bumblebee. Bumblebee held up two fingers, buzzing as quietly as he could.  
"Two…minutes?" She asked, smiling even more as she sat by Valerie's side. She was starting to forget the dream now. Bumblebee shook his head, a playful look in his optics.   
"Val…couldn't sleep. She asked…for me," he said while carefully reaching in to rub Valerie's back with a finger. Valerie smiled sweetly in her sleep. Anna sighed softly, feeling a bit more relaxed as she rubbed Valerie's back as well. It was just a dream. A terrible dream. Dreams didn't mean anything. All she knew was that she had to protect her daughter no matter what.   
"I won't let anything hurt you, Val. I promise," she whispered before planting a kiss on Valerie's cheek. 

A Few Weeks Later

It had been a few weeks since Valerie had been adopted and she was loving her new family. She had thought that she was going to end up with a regular family like many of the other kids, but she never expected any of this. She loved her moms and she especially loved her Papa Prime and her Uncle Bee.   
She had noticed Mama Sky left a lot with Uncle Bee. When she asked Mama Grace about what they did, she was told that they had very important jobs and would sometimes be away for days at a time. Weeks maybe. Valerie didn't like the sound of that, but she knew they would come back and she would be there to greet them and give them the biggest hugs.   
Valerie sat in Bumblebee's backseat, smiling out the window. Today was the day she would meet the rest of the Autobots. Mama Sky had shown her pictures of them and she grew more and more excited by the second. Plus, it was her fifth birthday.   
"Val, we're almost there," Mama Sky crowed.   
"Hooray!" Valerie cheered, still looking out the window.  
"Valerie, where we're going is a very secret place with a lot of important people who are doing very important jobs. You need to be on your best behavior when we're there," Mama Grace said. Valerie simply nodded in response. She had been told to be on her best behavior plenty of times when meeting new people. She knew what to do.   
"You stay right by our sides, okay? We don't want you to go missing," Mama Sky said.  
"Okay, Mama," Valerie said.   
The rest of the ride went by smoothly until Bumblebee drove up to a rather large building. Valerie gazed at it in wonder as Bumblebee went through security. A bunch of mean-looking guys approached Mama Sky's side and she simply showed them some kind of card. The men looked at it and gave them a nod. A gate opened and Bumblebee drove through. Valerie didn't make eye contact with those men. They looked scary.  
"Those guys looked scary," Valerie murmured.   
"They're tough, baby. You gotta be tough and brave to work here," Mama Sky said with a smile. Valerie nodded and watched as Bumblebee drove past multiple building before coming to a rather large one. It had a giant open doorway where the interior was well lit. Valerie tried to get a better look and saw multiple vehicles parked inside. One of them looked very familiar.   
"It's Papa Prime!" Valerie exclaimed, making her moms chuckle in response.   
"It sure is, baby," Mama Sky crowed as Bumblebee parked. A few of those tough-looking people approached Bumblebee. Valerie frowned when she saw them. A smiling older woman approached as Mama Sky got out of the car and proceeded to help out.   
"Is this little miss Valerie?" The woman asked.   
"She sure is. Valerie, this is Miss Jessica. She's a good friend of mine," Mama Sky said while placing Valerie on the ground. Valerie immediately hid behind Mama Sky's leg, gazing at Miss Jessica shyly.   
"Aw, she's shy. That's okay, hon. I won't mess with you," Miss Jessica crowed before turning her attention to Mama Sky and Mama Grace.  
"She's so much sweeter than the pictures show. Congrats, you two," she chimed. She and Mama Sky proceeded to talk about other things, but Valerie wasn't paying much attention. Bumblebee had driven over to the other vehicles in the open building. She wanted to go with him, but she had to stay with her moms in such a strange place. There were so many strange people walking around. Some of them had paused to look at her. One man walked over to Mama Sky, grinning like an idiot. Miss Jessica had left.   
"Is this your kid, Sky?" He asked. Valerie peeked out from around Mama Sky's legs to get a better look at him.  
"Yup. Say hello to Valerie, Lennox. Valerie, this is Mr. Lennox. Another friend," Mama Sky chimed.   
"Dang, if you were a little older, you'd be great friends with my girl, Annabelle," Lennox crowed. Valerie only cocked her head in confusion.   
"Not much of a talker, eh?" He asked with a soft chuckle.   
"She'll warm up to everyone eventually," Mama Grace said.   
"She really likes Optimus and Bee," Mama Sky said with a soft giggle. Valerie had gone back to looking at Optimus and Bumblebee parked with the other Autobots. Some of their headlights had turned on.   
"Good thing. Some of the Autobots have been talking about meeting you. Let's not keep them waiting," Lennox said while walking over to the Autobots. Valerie gasped happily and looked up at her moms.   
"Let's go, baby," Mama Sky chimed, taking her hand and following behind Lennox. Valerie's heart was beating a mile a minute as she held back the urge to just run forward. She stayed by her mom's side as they stopped before Optimus. A huge smile crept on her lips as she watched all the Autobots transform before her. Some were big, nearly the size of Optimus, while others were much shorter. She wasn't scared this time.   
"Is this the mighty Valerie Optimus has told us so much about?" A tough looking Autobot asked as he stepped forward to get a better look at her.   
"She's a tiny lil thing," a smaller Autobot crowed, grinning toothily at her.   
"That's cuz she's a baby, man," another Autobot who looked similar to the other said. Valerie giggled at that.   
"I'm not a baby. I'm a kid," Valerie chimed, smiling sweetly at the Autobots. 

The next hour was spent getting to know each of the Autobots. Many of them held her and cooed over her despite Mama Sky and Grace looking nervous. She had learned that many of them had never interacted or seen a child so small like her before. They adored her and came to the conclusion that children were the sweetest.   
She was now sitting in Bumblebee's palm while listening to Ironhide tell her about one of his many adventures. She noticed that Optimus and Mama Sky had walked off together when a person came asking for them. She didn't think too much of it. Ironhide's story had her full attention.  
"And then I pulled out my cannons and blasted those punk-ass Decepticons," he crowed while activating his weapons.   
"Woah," Valerie said, smiling like an idiot when Ratchet gasped and tried to put Ironhide's arm down as Bumblebee and few others laughed.  
"Watch your language and put that away, Ironhide! She's a child. Much younger than Anna when we found her," Ratchet scolded. Mama Grace nodded in agreement, giving Ironhide an angry glare.   
"What? She'll be learning to curse and fight sooner or later. It's better to learn it from the best," Ironhide crowed. Hound and Crosshairs perked up at the mention of her learning to fight.   
"Can we teach her? We know lots of cuss words," Skids spoke up. Mudflap nodded.   
"You certainly may not," Mama Grace said, crossing her arms while shooting the twins an even angrier glare. Bumblebee was giggling nonstop.   
Valerie was deep in thought over what Ironhide said about Mama Sky. They found her? What did that mean.  
"How'd you find my Mama Sky?" She asked. There was an awkward silence amongst the Autobots at the question.   
"You haven't told her?" Ironhide asked, turning his attention to Mama Grace.   
"We're going to tell her when she's older," Mama Grace replied, frowning and looking at the ground with a sad look in her eyes. Bumblebee buzzed softly and lowered Valerie to the ground. Valerie went over to her mother, gazing up at her curiously.   
"What happened, Mama?" She asked.   
At that moment, Mama Sky and Optimus had returned. Valerie turned to smile at them, but her smile disappeared when she saw them. They looked so…unhappy.   
"Bee, take Valerie and Grace home," Mama Sky said while wiping away some tears. Valerie gasped and looked from her to the Autobots. They just got here!  
"I wanna stay, Mama Sky," she pleaded.   
"Something important came up, baby. We have to work now," Mama Sky murmured. Optimus looked over at the Autobots and gave them a nod. Many of them suddenly had shocked looks on their faceplates.  
"Those damn bastards," Ironhide growled under his breath. No one scolded him at that.  
"We're sorry, little one. There will be another time where we can be together," Optimus said while getting down to her level. Valerie didn't want to cry, but felt the tears welling up. Sighing heavily, she managed to look him in the eye.   
"Did something bad happen?" She asked.   
"Yes, but that is not for you to worry about, Val," Optimus replied.   
"She's gotta know sooner or later, Prime," Hound said, lighting a rather large cigar and breathing a cloud of smoke. A few others nodded. Valerie was feeling even more confused. She had so many questions, but didn't know where to even start.   
"When she's older, we'll tell her everything," Mama Sky said with tears starting to roll down her cheeks.   
Valerie felt a tug on the back of her shirt. She turned to see Bumblebee gazing down at her sadly.   
"Time to go," he said as he went to the entrance of the building and transformed. Mama Grace took her by the hand, leading her away. Valerie looked back at the Autobots and smiled sadly at them. She was going to see them again. Soon hopefully.   
"Don't worry, girly. Everything's gonna be alright," Crosshairs crowed.   
"We'll do everything we can to keep you and everyone safe," Optimus said as some of the Autobots transformed into their disguises. Valerie couldn't stop the tears rolling down as Mama Grace helped her into the car.  
"It's okay, baby. Do you want to get some birthday ice cream?" She asked as she got into the front seat. Valerie only nodded as Bumblebee drove off. She looked back at Optimus until she could no longer see him. 

Anna couldn't think straight as she watched Bumblebee take Grace and Valerie home. She felt sick to the stomach. Absolutely sick. She couldn't open her phone. She knew the report was there with those…images.   
"You alright there, Anna? Yer lookin' a bit pale," Crosshairs said.  
"No. You saw those images, right?" She replied.   
"Ah, not yet, but Optimus told us all about it. Horrible shit," he replied, shaking his head.   
Anna tried to compose herself as Lennox came walking up to them, looking at a newly made report with wide eyes. He knew. Everyone probably knew by now.   
"You saw this shit, right? It's crazy," he said.   
"It's horrible," Anna murmured.   
"It's despicable," Optimus growled.   
"It's fucking typical of the Deceptcions," Ironhide said.  
"Umm, there's more," Jessica spoke up. They turned to look at her. Jessica's arms were piled high with papers and she looked beyond horrified.   
"A video was sent to us. You all have to see this," she said, looking at Anna with a hurt look before turning to lead them away to a media room. Anna wasn't sure how much more she could take of this day. She just wanted her daughter to have a nice time meeting the Autobots. This was going to be awful. She knew it.   
They gathered within the media room where the images were still being shown. Anna wanted to look away, but she couldn't. The Decepticons had attacked an orphanage somewhere in the middle of Nevada and slaughtered everyone within. The children and adults had been gathered in a field behind the building and massacred. To make things worse, the bodies had been arranged in a cybertronian message that had been translated to "Come home". The terror was frozen in each child and adults face as they gazed at whoever had taken those images. Anna thought of Valerie. The idea that Megatron knew about her daughter terrified her. She wanted to vomit.   
"There's a video?" She asked, looking over at one of the workers in the media room. He nodded, not saying anything before pressing a button and turning the lights off. Screams immediately filled the room as children were soon trying to run into the field. A barrier had been put up, preventing them from escaping. Anna couldn't stop watching as the Decepticon recording grabbed a child as more Decepticons gunned down the children. The child looked to be a few years older than Valerie.  
"Look at all of you! Running nowhere with your insect legs. Accept your fate and come to us," a voice crowed. It was Starscream. Anna's hands balled up into fists as Starscream raised the young girl to eye level. The child screamed and tried to hit his fingers, but a hard squeeze made her cry out and stop.   
"Let us go! For the love of god, we have done nothing to offend you!" An adult screamed off camera. Starscream looked over at the adult and simply shot him, making the girl cry harder.   
"Aw, don't cry, little wretch. This won't last much longer," Starscream cooed in a mocking tone while caressing the side of her face with a single claw, leaving behind a deep cut that made her whimper. Anna was brought back to that time where her world had been destroyed. That child was her, but she knew things were going to end very differently.  
"Why?" The child asked, gazing at Starscream with tear-filled eyes.   
"Why? Because my master lost his damn pet and wants her back! She ran away and adopted an insect just like you. How ironic," Starscream replied, giving her a squeeze. He looked over at the carnage and chuckled darkly. Some remaining children and adults had been lined up and were being shot one by one.   
"You're…You're a bad person," the child whimpered, wincing with each horrible shot.   
"And you're a disgusting insect. What's your name? Let the wretched Autobots and humans know who you are before you die," Stascream said. The child had been watching the carnage quietly, not looking at Starscream. Starscream growled and grabbed her head, forcing her to look at him.   
"Look at me when I'm talking to you. I want to see the light leave your little eyes when I kill you," Starscream hissed. Tears streamed down the girl's cheeks as she glared at him.   
"My…My name is Skylar," the child said.   
"No, your name is now Skyfall and this is what I want to do if I ever get my hands on her," Starscream crowed before proceeding to hold two fingers around her head. Skylar screamed as he pulled hard. Anna shuddered and looked away as a horrible ripping noise filled the air. She looked over at Optimus who watched on with an angry look in his optics.   
"Alright, that's enough," Lennox said. The lights came back on as everyone composed themselves again. A solider rushed over to a trashcan and vomited.  
"Bastards," Ironhide growled, crossing his arms.  
"He…He knows about Val. He knows about her," Anna muttered, still feeling her heart beat hard in her chest.   
"He knows what will get a reaction out of you. I'm sure this is only a start to whatever Megatron has planned," Optimus said. Anna was going through a wide range of emotions. Anger, fear, terror, shock. It all boiled down to anger and determination to fight back.   
"Well, now we know what Megatron might target now. We gotta double down on tracking these bastards down," Lennox said.  
"I want to be a part these missions. This is personal," she said. Lennox looked like he was about to say something, but he shrugged it off and walked away with some other soldiers, talking about what to do next. Anna grew silent as she turned her attention back to the screen. The pictures had returned.   
"If Megatron wants me back, I'll come back and kill him. No one threatens my family," she said.   
"Innocent lives shouldn't be dragged into this. Megatron has done horrible things in the past, but this crosses the line. We can't let this happen again," Optimus replied.   
"Damn right you are," Ironhide said.   
Anna gazed at the images, her mind racing as he thought of what she would do with Megatron if they were ever to meet. A shiver ran down her spine when she felt an all-too-familair prickle in the back of her neck.  
"Damn you," she whispered.


	3. Calm Before the Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna enjoys a few nice moments in life before something sinister brews...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> New Character introduced! I hope ya'll like her ^-^

Anna was silent on the ride home. Bumblebee had returned to take her home and even he was quiet. It was clear that he had seen the images.   
There was so much to think about. Plans were made to find where Megatron was operating, but it was going to be hard. Even with all the energon detectors placed around the world, nothing could be found yet. He was out there. Somewhere, he was planning his next horrible move and she would be there to stop him. She knew she was going to be on edge until that day came.   
An hour had passed and they finally got home. Anna checked her phone and saw that it was seven. Valerie would probably still be up with Grace. Bumblebee parked outside the house and opened his door.   
"Gonna be alright?" He asked.   
"Yeah. I'll be alright," Anna murmured as she got out of him. She turned and watched as he drove to his garage. With a sigh, she went inside. A smile crept on her lips when she heard Valerie giggling nonstop from the kitchen.   
"Oh! I think Mama Sky is here," Grace's voice crowed.   
"Mama Sky!" Valerie's voice chimed as the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps filled the air. She saw a blur of movement before Valerie ran into her, making her grunt as she knelt and hugged her daughter. She felt so much better when she saw her.   
"You're right on time, Mama. I was gonna open my presents and then you came home!" Valerie giggled as she hugged her.   
"Is that so? My timing is perfect," Anna smiled. She looked up and saw Grace standing in the doorway to the kitchen. She looked exhausted.  
"Any cake left?" Anna asked.   
"We haven't had cake yet. I got her some really good ice cream and she's already bouncing off the walls," Grace said. Valerie nodded enthusiastically. She was practically vibrating on the spot. That wasn't a good sign.  
"I got extra chocolaty chocolate with lots of brownie chunks and all the toppings. I loved it!" Valerie exclaimed. Anna looked over at Grace with wide eyes and Grace shook her head with a smirk.   
"Can I play with Uncle Bee?" Valerie asked. At the mention of his name, Bumblebee appeared in the kitchen window, humming happily. Valerie looked over at him with a look that said she would crawl out the window to play with him.  
"Let's open your presents in the garage," Grace suggested. Bumblebee nodded, buzzing excitedly.   
"I have…a surprise for you…in the garage," he said with a playful look in his optics. Valerie gasped, looking to the pile of presents on the table.  
"I wanna open them in the garage," she chimed.  
"Anything for you, baby," Anna chimed as she picked up some presents. Grace nodded and picked up the rest. They walked out to the garage. Valerie ran ahead of them to hug Bumblebee's leg. Bumblebee giggled a warped giggle before reaching down to pick her up.  
"Got the best present…for you," he said as he went to open the garage door. Anna couldn't see inside, but she heard Valerie gasp.   
"It's beautiful, Bee," Valerie said, turning back to smile at Anna and Grace. Anna smiled and stepped forward to see what was inside the garage. She paused when she saw what was inside. Multiple handmade stars hung from the ceiling, reflecting the light off of the lamps inside. Anna got closer and saw that they were made of colored glass. They cast off shadows on the walls that looked so…alien. She was sure it was Cybertronian.   
"You made all this, Bee?" Anna asked, looking over at him. Bumblebee nodded, looking absolutely proud as Valerie went up to one of the shadows. Bumblebee went over to her side and pointed at the shadow.   
"Means...you are blessed… little sparkling," he said before giving her a playful poke to the chest. Valerie giggled and hugged his hand. Ana couldn't stop smiling as she watched on. Those horrible images from before still lingered in the back of her mind, but she ignored them. Her little girl was all that mattered at the moment. She was going to enjoy this moment and make it last for as long as possible. 

"God, Valerie's gonna break something with that sword," Anna groaned as she finally laid down in bed. She didn't realize just how tired she was until now. Valerie had gotten a lot of wonderful presents, but her favorite one was a small sword that was provided by the Autobots. Valerie already broke a pot by swinging it around and was reluctant to let it go. Anna promised she would give the Autobots an earful about giving children dangerous weapons.  
"Well, she can get lessons," Grace chimed as she cuddled close to her.   
"That's true. We'll have to get her another sword that isn't so alien to practice with a tutor…or Optimus can teach her," Anna replied, smiling at the thought of Anna getting lessons from her favorite Autobot.  
"So, what happened back at Nest?" Grace asked. Anna sighed in response. She knew this question would be brought up eventually.   
"The Decepticons…they attacked an orphanage and…well....they recorded everything," she murmured.   
"No," Grace gasped, her eyes wide with shock.   
"Grace, he knows about Val. He knows what's going to get under my skin," Anna replied, feeling tears well up in her eyes as she hugged her wife. She could feel Grace tense up when she mentioned Megatron knowing about Val.  
"We can't go through that again," Grace murmured.   
"We won't let that happen. I'll do everything in my power to protect you and Valerie. I won't let that bastard tear us apart. I promise you that, Grace," Anna said, taking Grace's hand in her own and kissing it tenderly. Grace smiled back at her, but it was a sad smile.   
"I know you will, baby. Plus, we have so many wonderful people who will help us as much as possible. We're going to be okay," Grace said before pulling her into a kiss. Anna wasn't too sure about that last part, but she knew she was going to do anything for her family. She smiled and deepened the kiss, wanting to forget those awful images again.   
"We are," she sighed into the kiss while pulling her wife closer.

Weeks Later

Anna was sitting on a bench, looking over multiple reports that Optimus had sent to her. She smirked when she heard Valerie's little giggles and looked up to see her across the field with Optimus. He had been going over the reports with her when he came to visit, but it was clear that he was getting distracted by Valerie. Anna decided that they could go to one of the many abandoned parks so Valerie could have time to play and spend some much-needed time with her favorite person.   
"Now, Valerie. What is the most important part of fighting with a sword?" Optimus asked, pulling out his sword to show to a wide-eyed Valerie who also was holding her own sword.  
"Stick 'em with the pointy end," Valerie said confidently, making Optimus chuckle.   
Anna simply shook her head when she went back to the reports. Her smile slowly disappeared when she read about an attack at some important scientists' home. This scientist lived a few town over. The scientist wasn't harmed, but his two daughter were horribly murdered. The Decepticons were getting closer, but nothing could be picked up from the energon scanners somehow. All that had happened in the past few weeks were more Autobot arrivals. There was one Decepticon arrival, but it was quickly disposed of. What was Megatron even planning? It was all so confusing and worrying. She had a horrible feeling something horrible was going to happen anytime soon.   
"Do you have a special person, Papa Prime?" Valerie asked. Anna looked up just in time to see Optimus stumble a bit, looking completely taken aback. That certainly was a question.   
"What…What brought up such a question, Valerie?" Optimus asked.  
"Well, Mama Sky told me that there's always a special someone out there for everyone and I asked her if you had a special someone, but she didn't know and I wanna know," Valerie chimed. Optimus was silent for a while, deep in thought. Anna smiled a knowing smile when he looked over at her with a somewhat accusatory glare.   
"Is your special someone a human or are they an Autobot? Have you met them yet?" Valerie asked, eager to learn.  
"Most of that is none of your business, Valerie," Optimus said. Valerie looked crestfallen at that.  
"But I have met her," he added. Anna covered her mouth with a hand to stop her gasp. She knew who he was talking about.   
He was talking about that new scientist recruit. Her name was Angel Williams and it was clear from her first day that she was smitten withe the Autobot leader and it looked like Optimus felt the same way. When being introduced to the Autobots, Anna noticed how Angel would gaze in wonder at Optimus, but she had first assumed it was from just seeing an alien for the first time. Days had passed and Anna had caught Angel peeking into the Autobot hangar while Optimus was talking with the Autobots. She was a flustered mess when Anna came up to her and quickly walked away, saying she was just lost for a moment.   
There was another instance where Optimus was talking with a group of scientists. Angel was a part of that group and Anna noticed how the young woman blushed as she watched him talk. When they left, Optimus watched Angel go with such an odd look on his face. It looked like a longing expression.   
Anna was once confronted by the young scientist who wanted to know more about Optimus. Most of the questions were simple, such as what fighting by his side was like and how she came to know him. When Anna brought up her daughter and that Optimus was her god-father, Angel perked up at that.  
"He likes kids?" She had asked, her eyes wide.   
"He loves them. Valerie loves him too and he's just so sweet with her like she's his own child" Anna replied. She became curious of what Angel really felt for him, but felt it wasn't appropriate to ask more questions. That was for her and Optimus to figure out.   
The refusal to ask more questions didn't last long. Days had passed and Anna was just finished up with a meeting with the Autobots and some soldiers. She was gathering some papers when she noticed Angel walking by. She looked over at Optimus who was talking to Ratchet. He had paused a moment to looked over at the purple-haired scientist with the faintest smile on his face. He shook his head before turning his attention back to Ratchet who appeared confused before looking at a panel on his arm.   
"Your internal temperature is going up, Optimus. Are you alright?" He had asked.   
"I'm fine, Ratchet. That's all for now," Optimus said, dismissing him. Ratchet nodded before walking off. Anna had stayed and walked over to his side, eager to get some information out of him.   
"So, what do you think of that new girl?" She asked him.  
"She's a smart and bright young woman. I'm glad she's a part of the team," Optimus replied, breathing a small cloud of steam in the process. He sounded so…scripted. Anna could tell he wanted to say something else, but it looked like he wasn't going to say it anytime soon.   
She wasn't sure what the future had in store for the two of them, but Anna hoped the best for them.   
Upon hearing that Optimus had met his special someone, Valerie let out an excited squeal.  
"Papa Prime's in love~," she crowed. Optimus shook his head, but Anna could see his smile growing. She sighed and got up, walking over to them.  
"So, who's this special lady in your life, Optimus?" She asked, giving him a knowing look.   
"What's her name, Papa Prime?" Valerie asked, vibrating with excitement again.   
"Her name is Angel and she's lovely," Optimus said, gazing up at the heavens.   
"Is she an angel? She must be very pretty," Valerie said, gazing up at the sky as well as if expecting an angel to come down at that very moment.  
"She must be an angel, little one," Optimus replied. Anna stepped back a bit to take a picture of the two of them as they talked about Miss Angel. It was such a sweet sight and she looked forward to the day when Optimus would confess to Angel or vice versa. She could only imagine what that was going to be like. 

"Thanks for taking me home, Jessica. It sucks my car is being worked on on such a rainy day," Angel chimed as she got into Jessica's car.   
"It's okay, honey. It's a good thing you live fairly close to my place," Jessica replied as she buckled in and started the car. Angel nodded and pulled out her phone to look at some more documents. She was beyond thankful that she was able to get this job. It was a bit overwhelming at first, but after getting to know everyone, she calmed down a great deal.   
A faint blush formed on her cheeks when she thought about Optimus Prime. She had hoped she would see him before going home, but he was unfortunately out on some kind of errand. She sighed softly as she looked out the window. She would see him again real soon.   
"I know that smile anywhere. Who you crushing on, honey?" Jessica asked playfully. Angel looked over at Jessica, her cheeks getting even redder and hotter.  
"Uhh, it's kinda crazy," she said.   
"Try me. I've probably heard crazier," Jessica crowed. Angel took a deep breath as she decided if she wanted to tell her or not.  
"It…It's Optimus," she admitted.   
Jessica smiled like an idiot at the news.   
"Oooh, good on you, girly. Do you think he feels the same way?" She asked.   
The thought of Optimus feeling the same way about her, made her blush even harder. Would he even feel that way about her? Did he feel that way about humans? Was it even possible?   
"I hope so. When we talk, it always looks like he wants to say something else, but I'm probably thinking too much about it. I'll…I'll tell him how I feel when I get the guts to say it," she said.   
"Well, I support you, Miss Angel," Jessica crowed.   
"Thank you," Angel said, smiling as she looked out the window once more. It was getting darker but he second. Why did she have to live so far from town? Once she got paid more, she would move closer to the town.   
Jessica was stopped at a light. Angel looked to and fro and noticed that they were completely alone. She looked back and saw a military vehicle rapidly coming up from behind. It didn't look like it was going to slow down.   
"This damn light always take forever," Jessica grumbled.   
A rapid beeping sound from the back of Jessica's car suddenly filled the air as that truck got closer and closer by the second.  
"Jessica? What's that?" She questioned.   
"It's a Decepticon reading-," Jessica was cut short as the truck crashed into the car. Angel cried out in shock as her head hit the window, knocking her out.   
The ground shook beneath Angel. She was horribly disoriented as she tried to go over what to do during a Decepeticon attack. She tried to move her legs, but something was pinning them down. She was stuck.  
"Je….Jessica?" She said, opening her eyes to see her burning car across from her. Where was she? The ground shook even more. Footsteps…  
"There's two of them. Do we need them both?" A voice asked.   
"The more the merrier," another voice that sounded very familiar chuckled darkly. She had heard that voice in many of her training videos. She couldn't figure it out. Her mind was too clouded by the pain.  
Angel cried out in agony as whatever was pinning her down was roughly removed. She couldn't even move her legs when they were freed.   
Before she had a moment to recover, cold, sharp fingers grabbed her and pulled her out of the wreckage. She looked up in confusion and saw glowing red eyes glaring down at her.   
"Lord Megatron has a lot of wonderful things planned for you, little one," the Decepticon crowed as he turned to go. Angel tried to look around and saw a battered Jessica in the clutches of another Decepticon.   
"Wh…Why?" She managed to ask, her voice barely a whisper. She was starting to lose consciousness.  
"I'm pretty sure it's obvious, girly. Prime likes you. It's the perfect trap," the Decepticon said as he carried her away.   
Angel felt a pain in her chest when she heard that. If this were a different situation, she would have been beyond happy. But now, she was scared. This was war and the Decepticons were willing to do anything to get the upper hand. She had heard about the massacre at that orphanage. They had taken footage of the carnage in order to get under Miss Sky's skin. Now, they were using her for their horrid plans. She knew this job was dangerous, but she didn't expect to be anywhere near the fighting. How wrong she was. She prayed a silent prayer, hoping someone would rescue her and Jessica.   
"Let's not keep my master waiting," the Decepticon said as Angel lost consciousness.


	4. Captured

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Anna arrives to Nest just in time to see what Megatron has in store for Jessica and Angel. Meanwhile, Valerie makes a new friend

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Bloody violence here ya'll

The sound of her phone coming to life with notifications roused Anna from her sleep. Anna groaned as she opened her eyes to see her phone lit up on the nightstand.   
"I thought you had the day off," Grace mumbled, pulling the blanket over her head.   
"I thought so too," Anna murmured as she grabbed her phone. She turned it on and was greeted by multiple missed calls and messages from Nest and Optimus. That wasn't good. She decided to open the messages from Optimus and gasped softly.   
"What happened?" Grace asked.   
"I…I gotta go, Grace. There's been a kidnapping," Anna replied as she got out of bed. She put her prosthetic arm on before getting dressed. She could hear heavy footsteps outside. Bumblebee probably already knew what was going on.   
"God, stay safe," Grace said before going back to sleep.  
Anna was already out the door and found Bumblebee pacing back and forth by the garage, looking anxious. He saw her and buzzed softly in alarm as he walked over to her.   
"Bad news…Very bad news," he said.   
"I know, Bee. Let's just go," Anna replied. He nodded and transformed, opening his door for her. Anna got in and pulled out her phone to look at those messages.   
Angel and Jessica had been reported missing. The burning remains of Jessica's car were found a few hours ago. Traces of Decepticon activity had been found all over the place. Anna frowned. She could only imagine Megatron's intentions in this kidnapping. If he knew about Valerie, then he probably knew about what was going on between Optimus and Angel. She was sure a rescue mission would be made as quickly as possible. Optimus would find a way to find Angel and Jessica no matter what.   
"Big boss….is angry…," Bumblebee said over the radio.  
"I'm sure he is. Do…Did you know about him liking Angel?" Anna asked as he began to drive off.   
"Sure do…. Everyone knows. Angel and Jessica…in danger…," Bumblebee replied. Anna nodded in response as she looked out the window at the rising sun. Even though she wanted good things for the two of them, it was still dangerous in these times.   
The rest of the ride was spent in uncomfortable silence until they finally got to Nest. Bumblebee drove straight to the Autobot hangar after checking in at security. Anna could see Optimus talking with multiple soldiers and some Autobots. Most likely he was debriefing them on what had happened. Bumblebee parked and Anna got out to walk over to her comrades.   
"Hey, I'm sorry I got your messages late. Any updates?" She asked as she got up on one of the many raised platforms to be at eye level with the Autobots. Optimus turned and Anna saw the anger and sorrow in his optics.   
"Nothing. Absolutely nothing. The more we don't do anything to get our friends back, the more danger they face," he grumbled.   
"We'll find them, Optimus," Ironhide said,  
"They'll be okay for a short while, big guy. This is a hostage situation. We've seen this plenty of times. The Decepticons will keep them alive," a soldier spoke up. Optimus turned to glare the solider who stepped back, looking frightened. Ironhide shook his head in disgust.   
"You underestimate the Decepticons, solider. Angel and Jessica will suffer if we don't act as soon as possible," he said.  
Anna spotted Lennox and went over to talk with him. He probably knew something useful. He saw her and simply shook his head, looking at one of the big screens that would show any updates on Decepticon activity.   
"These bastards are getting harder to track," he murmured.   
"Keep searching," Optimus rumbled. Anna looked over at him. He was breathing so much steam and smoke that it hung around his head like a cloud. She could only imagine what was going through his head.  
"We're doing all we can, big guy. We'll find them," Lennox replied.   
A deep growl emanated from Optimus as he walked up to the screens, scanning everything with an angry, yet desperate look in his optics.   
"Why would the Decepticons go after those two?" The soldier who spoke out of turn asked. Everyone around him exchanged a knowing look, unsure if they wanted to tell him.   
At that moment, the biggest of the screens turned to static. Anna looked up and glared at the screen as the Decepticon symbol appeared on the screen.   
"We're getting something! Get the location!" Lennox ordered as the people at the computers typed away. Anna looked over at Optimus whose gazed was fixated on the screen. Ironhide and Bumblebee walked over to his side, eager to see what was about to happen. Hound and Crosshairs soon joined them as well.  
The Decepticon symbol disappeared, along with the static. What replaced the static made Anna's blood run cold. It was Angel and Jessica. They were chained up by their wrists, forcing them to kneel uncomfortably on a raised platform. Jessica was glaring into the camera, a rag stuck in her mouth that muffled her angry cries. Angel was silent, gazing down at the ground as she wept softly. Their clothes had been torn up, revealing scratch wounds around their bodies.   
"Goddamn…," Hound grumbled.  
"Look at them. Poor suffering souls," an all-too-familiar voice purred from behind whoever was filming. Anna felt that prickle in the back of her neck and shivered softly, never taking her eyes off the screen.   
"I think you all know what I want in exchange for your friend's safety," Megatron said as he walked on screen. He smiled cruelly at the camera before walking over to the platform. Jessica had grown quiet, looking at Megatron with fearful eyes.   
"You're not getting me back, Megatron," Anna growled. Megatron fixed his gaze on her, making her feel small all of a sudden. She could see all the rage and want in his optics. It brought her back to old times that she wanted to forget.   
"I'll get you back, my pet. I'm sure Optimus doesn't want to see this sweet little thing injured," Megatron crowed as he walked over to Angel's side. Angel whimpered as he reached forward to caress her cheek with a claw.   
"She's a pretty one, Prime. I never expected you to be…infatuated with a human. It would be such a shame if something were to happen to her," Megatron said as he dug his claw into her cheek a bit, making her yelp in pain. Anna looked over at Optimus who was trying his best to remain stoic. More smoke and steam curled from his mouth and nose. He had grabbed the railing of one of the platforms, squeezing it and leaving dents in the metal. A few soldiers who probably didn't know about what was going on between him and Angel looked over at him in concern.  
"Get your claws off of her, Megatron," he finally growled. There was a hint of desperation in his voice. Anna realized she was trembling as she watched. This all felt way too familiar and it made her feel sick.   
"Only if Skyfall promises she will come back to me," Megatron said as he pulled his claw away. Angel gasped softly and looked up at the camera with tear-filled eyes. Her cheek was bleeding. Anna felt Optimus's gaze on her and she looked back up at him. She couldn't tell what he was thinking. He wouldn't give in to Megatron's demands, right?   
Jessica was struggling against the cloth rag in her mouth before she managed to spit it out, coughing hard.   
"You're not…not gonna get nothing! They're gonna come here and…and they're gonna beat the shit out of you and your goons!" She screamed. Megatron growled softly as he went over to Jessica's side. She was breathing heavily as she glared back at him.   
"Damn right we are," Ironide said, crossing his arms as he watched.   
"We humans are tired of your shit. I'm tired of your shit. Do you have any idea how much paperwork I drown in whenever your goons damage property or are so much as spotted? It's fucking ridiculous," she said.   
"Is that so, insect?" Megatron questioned, his optics turning to red slits.  
"Jessica, stop," Angel whispered.   
"Touch them and I swear I'll unleash hell on you," Optimus growled. Megatron chuckled as he cut the chains holding up Jessica. Jessica fell onto the platform with a surprised cry.   
"You can't stop me, Prime," Megatron crowed as he picked up Jessica who continued to curse him and struggle in his grip. Anna could hear multiple gasps around her along with sounds of disgust and anger.   
"Get your slimy claws off me! You have no right to do this to us, you bastard! I hope Optimus fucking decapitates you when he gets here!" She screeched.   
"You talk too much, wretch. Let's fix that," Megatron crowed as he extended one claw tip toward Jessica's mouth. Jessica instantly closed her mouth when he pressed his claw tip against her mouth. She then struggled in his grip, trying to turn her head away.   
"Please stop! She…She didn't mean any of that. Just...Just leave her alone," Angel pleaded. Megatron continued to press his claw against Jessica's closed mouth. Her lips were starting to bleed now. He forced her mouth open and pushed his claw down her throat as she screamed a horrific, guttural scream. Blood began to pour from her mouth. Anna could only watch on in utter defeat and anger as Megatron laughed. Angel began to cry, looking away at the sight. He had crossed the line weeks ago with that attack on the orphanage, but he somehow figured out a way to cross even more lines with killing a friend and terrorizing another.   
"Please…Just stop…," Angel whimpered.   
Megatron pushed further until the tip of his claw burst out of Jessica's chest in a hooked form. Jessica's eyes widened in terror before gazing into nothingness after she let out another weak scream. Anna could hear a metal crunch and looked over to see that Optimus had crushed a part of the platform railing from squeezing it so hard.   
"Disgusting," Megatron murmured as he roughly yanked his claw out of Jessica, tearing her in half from the chest up. Anna felt like she wanted to vomit as he carelessly tossed her friend to the side. Angel continued to weep. Megatron's disgusted expression turned back to that awful smile as he went over to her side.   
"Do you have anything to say to Optimus, little one?" Megatron crowed as he tilted her chin with his bloody claw, forcing her to look at the camera.   
"I…I know you guys will do…do what's right. I'll be…I'll be waiting," she said in a shaky voice. Optimus stepped forward, silent for a moment as he gazed back at Angel intensely.   
"Stay strong, Angel. I…uh…we will be there to save you," he said. Angel smiled sadly back at him as Megatron let her go.   
"How sweet. You better hurry, Prime. I might make her mine if you don't come soon with Skyfall in hand," Megatron chuckled as he lightly ran his claws along Angel's back, making her shiver.   
"Just you wait, Megatron," Optimus growled, his hands clenching into fists. Megatron smiled a knowing smile before the screen went back to static. Anna realized she was holding her breath and took in a deep breath. It looked like a few other soldiers had been holding their breaths as well.   
"Where are they?" Optimus asked, turning to look at the employees at the computers.   
"We found their location. Megatron shared it with us when he intercepted our signal," one man said, typing away and bringing up a map on the screen.  
"It's Jasper, Nevada. It looks like they're hiding out in some kind of warehouse outside of the closest town," another said while showing an image of a run down building.   
"We are leaving tonight," Optimus declared.   
"We need a plan, Optimus. This is an obvious trap of some kind. We can't just barge right in there," Anna spoke up. A few of the soldiers along with some Autobots agreed with her.   
"I know, but the more we wait, the chances of Angel facing more harm increases," Optimus replied.  
"We'll figure something out. Once we do, we'll head out in a jiffy and save your girl," Crosshairs said, a faint smirk forming on his faceplates. Anna nodded as she looked at the location on the map. It was going to be a long and dangerous mission, but it was going to be worth it when they saved Angel and put an end to Megatron.   
"We'll get her back," she said.   
"I know we will," Optimus replied, clutching his chest as it glowed a brighter blue. 

Valerie hummed a tune as she watched tv in her room. Mama Grace was downstairs making her lunch. Mama Sky and Bumblebee were nowhere to be seen. She had asked Mama Grace about where they were and all she could tell her was that they had important work to do. Valerie was upset because she had asked Bumblebee if they could go on a drive together that day and he appeared excited about that.   
A soft sigh escaped her lips as she changed the channel. She looked out the window and saw that it was still raining heavily. A boring day spent inside.   
She eventually found an exciting movie and smiled as she watch don. She didn't notice the distant flapping of wings until it was right at her window. She sensed movement and looked over to see a rather large mechanical bird sitting outside her windowsill. Blue eyes gazed at her in a curious manner before the large bird pecked at her window. It wanted in. Valerie stood up, unsure if this creature was good or bad. She had been told about the Decepticons and that if she saw one, she had to run and hide and contact her moms or Bumblebee as soon as possible. This creature didn't look too bad. It looked cold and the curious look in its eyes soon turned to fear as it continued to peck at the peck at the window.  
"Let me in, little friend," it pleaded in a soft, scratchy voice.   
Valerie went over to the window and opened it, letting the creature in. The creature flew past her and landed on the floor, coughing softly as it turned to her.  
"Thank you, little one. Oh, it was so dreadfully cold out there. I thought I would catch cold and rust to death," the creature said as it shook off the water from its metal wings.   
"Who are you? Are you an Autobot?" Valerie asked, looking over at her closed bedroom door. Should she alert her mother to this? Was she in danger?  
"My name is Laserbeak. I'm a friend," the one named Laserbeak said, giving her a slight bow.   
"You must be Valerie. I've been told many good things about you, sweet one," he crowed, inching closer to get a better look at her. Valerie stepped back unsure if she could trust the creature.   
"What are you doing at my house?" Valerie asked.   
"I bring you a private message from your grandfather. He wishes more than anything to meet his sweet granddaughter someday," Laserbeak chimed.   
"I…I have a grandpa? Who is he?" Valerie asked.  
"Oh, your mothers haven't told you about him?" Laserbeak questioned, cocking his head with a confused look in his blue optics. Valerie could have sworn she saw a hint of red in them.   
"No. They didn't tell me," Valerie replied, sitting on the ground. Laserbeak shook his head in disappointment.  
"What a shame. Children should always know about their whole family. Well, I'll tell you all about him," Laserbeak crowed as he sat next to her. Valerie looked over at her closed door once more before turning her attention to her brand new friend. He wasn't a danger. Her new friend was safe.   
"Do you know about the Decepticons, my little friend?" Laserbeak asked.   
"I do. I know that they're very dangerous and want to hurt my family," Valerie replied, suddenly feeling very nervous.   
"You got it all wrong, my little friend. We're not all bad," Laserbeak said.  
"But my Mama Sky told me all sorts of horrible things about them, especially about…about Megatron," she said.  
"She's wrong about your grandfather, Valerie. Your poor mother was saved by him long ago and he took good care of her until the Autobots took her away," Laserbeak said, resting his head on her shoulder. Valerie's eyes went wide at what he said. She had to hear more about this.  
"Megatron is Mama Sky's papa?" Valerie asked.  
"Pretty much. He adopted her when her town was ravaged by soldiers with the help of those… dreaded Autobots," Laserbeak said, a hint of disgust in his voice when mentioning the Autobots.   
"Tell me more," Valerie replied, eyes wide with wonder. Laserbeak opened his beak to talk, but froze when he looked over at the closed door with an annoyed expression on his face. Valerie could hear approaching footsteps.  
"I must go, little friend. Don't tell anyone about our meeting. I will return soon to tell you more. Don't believe what the Autobots tell you," he said before rushing to the window. Valerie got up and opened it for him. It wasn't raining as hard now.  
"See you soon," Valerie said. Laserbeak chuckled softly, nuzzling her cheek before jumping out the window and flying away. Valerie watched him go before looking back at Mama Grace who had just walked into the room.   
"I made you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, baby," she chimed. She paused when she saw all the water on the floor.   
"Close the window before it gets any wetter, Val," she gently scolded while placing the plate on Valerie's bed. Valerie nodded and went to shut the window. She could see Laserbeak flying away in the distance. He looked like a regular bird now.   
Valerie had so much to think about now. She knew her family wasn't a typical family, but now it was much stranger.   
"What have you been up to, baby?" Mama Grace asked.   
"Just watching movies," Valerie lied, unsure if she wanted to tell the truth.   
"When will Mama Sky and Bumblebee be home?" She asked before taking a bite out of her sandwich.   
"I don't know, baby. Soon, hopefully," Mama Grace replied with a soft sigh as she looked out the window. Valerie looked in her direction while taking another bite. She had lots of questions for her family and for Laserbeak when he returned. She wanted to know everything about her grandfather. Was everything that she had been told about him really wrong? She would find out eventually. For now, she would stay home and wait for them to come back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone catch the Transformers Prime easter egg? :3


	5. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Autobots stage a rescue for Angel. Can they save her in time?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Some bloody stuff here  
> Also my attempt at cute romantic fluff XD

Angel was in a daze as she watched the Decepticons work around her. The past two days had been hell. Pure hell. She looked over at where Jessica's ruined body laid and shivered as she imagined herself in her place. Megatron would pay for killing her new friend.   
Her throat was absolutely parched. It was so unbearably hot where she was being held. She needed water, but she knew better than to ask for anything. She didn't want Megatron's attention. He made her uncomfortable and scared. She hoped someone would come and rescue her. She saw how angry and sad Optimus looked during that video call. He was going to come for her. She just knew it. She had been praying silently for something good to happen in order to pass the time.   
Approaching footsteps broke her out of her thoughts and she looked up to see Megatron standing before the platform she was being held on. It looked like he was holding something behind his back. She tried to glare at him, but her fear got the better of her, making him chuckle darkly as he got closer.   
"You look uncomfortable, little one. Is there anything you need to make your stay here better? He asked. Angel wasn't sure if she wanted to tell the truth. She swallowed and felt how dry her throat was. She was starving and incredibly thirsty.  
'N-No," she lied.   
"Are you sure, little one? It's over one hundred degrees in here. You must be parched," Megatron crowed as he revealed what he was holding behind his back. A container full of water. Angel gazed at the water longingly, wanting more than anything to drink it all. She had to stop herself. She was sure that water was contaminated or tampered with. She couldn't risk getting infected.   
"I…I'm sure. Just…leave me alone," she murmured, looking down at the ground. Megatron didn't leave. He was still standing before her, growling softly.   
"You don't give me orders, insect," he grumbled, placing the container on the ground. He got closer and used the tip of a claw to force her to look him in the eyes. She wanted to cry, but she had run out of tears hours ago. She wanted more than anything to look away, but knew that would only result in him hurting her. Her body tensed up when she felt another sharp finger on her back. She could feel the heat coming off it and gazed back at him with wide fearful eyes.   
"I miss seeing that fear in my pet's eyes. Your fear will do nicely for the time being," Megatron crowed as he ran his finger down her back, cutting her remaining clothes and slicing her skin open in the process. Angel let out a pained scream at the horrible burning sensation. She had never felt something like this in her entire life. She wanted it to end. God, she wanted this all to be some kind of horrible nightmare.   
"I…I'm sorry! Please…Please forgive me," she pleaded, feeling fresh tears well up in her eyes. That cruel smile adorned Megatron's faceplates once again as he breathed hot steam in her face. He pulled his claw away from her back, but still made her look at him. She let out a soft gasp when the air hit her wound. She knew intense heat cauterized most wounds, but it felt like her back was still bleeding. She glanced down and saw blood running down her legs from her back.   
"You're lucky you have such a cute face, little one. I'll leave it damage-free for Optimus," he crowed as he finally let her go. Angel blushed at that as she looked away from him. She breathed heavily, trying to calm down as she tried to imagine being rescued by Optimus. Happy thoughts. She had to ignore the pain or else it would make her faint.  
"He'll…He'll come for me…," she murmured, tears streaming down her face.   
"Yes, he surely will. My pet will come as well and I will finally have her back," Megatron replied, stepping away from her.   
"Why…Why do you want… Miss Sky back so…so much?" Angel asked. She had only heard bits and pieces about their history, but it would be interesting to hear it from his side.   
"She belongs to me and she's going to be mine whether she likes it or not. I put too much work into making her the perfect, most loyal subject and those damn Autobots took her away from me," Megatron grumbled. Angel frowned. There must be more to it all.   
"What will…What will happen if she refuses?" She asked, wincing as a sharp pain ran down her back when she shifted the wrong way.  
"I have my ways to persuade her when she's alone with us. Her adopting that little girl will make things all the more…interesting," he replied with a dark chuckle. Angel felt her heart drop at the mention of Anna's child. What horrible things did he have planned?  
"I believe you've heard enough of my plans. I don't want you ruining the surprise I have for Skyfall," Megatron said before walking away. Another Decepticon walked into the room, looking from him to Angel.  
"Make sure she stays alive," Megatron ordered before leaving the room. The Decepticon nodded before walking over to the platform. He grabbed the container and opened it before holding it to her lips.  
"Drink," he ordered. Angel wanted more than anything to keep her mouth closed, but the water felt so cool against her lips and her throat felt so raw from screaming in pain. She couldn't resist as she drank the water.

Anna sat inside Optimus as he drove down a deserted highway. She glanced out the window and saw the caravan of military vehicles and Autobots behind her. A plan had been made to safely rescue Angel. Drones had been sent out to scan the area and it was revealed that there wasn't much security at that warehouse. An obvious trap to avoid just walking into. Three teams had been created. Two teams would draw out the Decepticons while the third team snuck inside when the Decepticons were driven out enough to get inside without being detected. Anna and a select few would go in to free Angel.  
It sounded like a good plan, but there was a feeling of dread in the pit of her stomach. The fact that she was going to see Megatron in person again filled her with fear and eagerness. She was possibly going to see him get destroyed or she was going to get horribly traumatized.   
She had sent a text to Grace telling her about what was going to go down. Grace sent her a sweet picture of her and Valerie giving her thumbs up along with a message wishing her good luck on her job. It made her feel a little bit better.   
"You ready to see Angel again, big guy?" She asked, hoping to lighten the mood for a while. Optimus's dashboard lit up in response to her question, making her smile a bit.   
"Hopefully you two will find time for each other once this is all over," she said with a soft giggle. She hoped things would get better after this. She could only hope and hold onto that hope.   
A few hours had passed before the caravan eventually stopped and pulled over to the side of the road. Anna pulled out a tablet and checked the coordinates of their destination. It was around five miles away. A good spot to stop and figure out what to do next. Anna got out and joined Lennox and the other soldiers as the Autobots transformed around them.   
Anna looked around and saw a lot of cover in the form of small rocky mountains. She looked up at the sky and saw a jet flying off in the distance. She was glad they were hidden at the moment.   
"So, how are we going about this again?" Hound asked.   
"Two teams will go out and draw the attention of the Decepticons. Hopefully they'll all come out for a fight. I'll send a signal to Anna and her team when the warehouse is clear enough for them to go in and retrieve Angel," Optimus explained.   
"Guns blazing. I like that," Ironhide crowed while activating his cannons.   
"Yer not gonna personally save yer girl, Prime? You could be her knight in shining armor doing just that," Crosshairs said with a chuckle. Anna held back the urge to giggle at that.   
"I truly wish I could, but it is safer to have Anna and her team go in unnoticed. I will only get involved if things are to go wrong," Optimus replied, looking in the direction of their destination. He looked determined to save Angel.   
"Do we do this now or should we wait a bit?" Lennox asked, looking around the rocks. A few other soldiers in the two teams looked ready to act. Optimus was silent for a moment before looking over at Anna.  
"Make sure Angel is safe when you find her," he said. Anna nodded in response, smiling as she went to her team. She felt good despite the fear lingering in her heart.  
"Let's roll out! For Angel!" Optimus declared before transforming. A few soldiers whooped in agreement before getting into their designated vehicles as the other Autobots transformed and drove out from their hiding space. Anna smiled as she watched them go. She crawled up on the rock to watch the battle go down. She pulled out her binoculars to see if anything had happened.   
"See anything, Sky?" One of her team members asked from below.   
"Not yet. I don't think the Decepticons have noticed them," Anna replied, still watching the caravan drive away until she could barely see them. A few moments had passed before she saw an explosion in the distance along with gunfire. The fighting had started.  
"Should we get a little bit closer?" One solider asked. Anna looked around for another potential hiding spot that was closer. There was another large rock formation big enough to hide them that looked to be less than a mile away. She took a picture of it and sent it to her team.  
"We'll go there," she said as she climbed down. She took a moment to look around at her team. There were four of them with her. All women. It was the perfect size to sneak in and retrieve Angel.  
Her team nodded in agreement before getting in their military truck. Anna got in and they drove cautiously to their next destination. She looked out the window and saw a jet flying toward the the chaos ahead. No updates so far from Optimus. Anna crawled on top of the rock formation and pulled out her binoculars to see anything. Dust had picked up in the distance, creating a cloud around the gunfire and fighting.   
"Damn, it must be crazy over there," she murmured as she crawled back down with a sigh. 

All had been quiet in the warehouse before a loud rumble shook it. Angel had been trying to sleep before she jolted awake, looking around in a panic. The Decepticon watching over her jumped to his feet, growling softly as he looked from her to the chaos outside. This was good news, right? Help was coming! That meant Optimus was going to save her.   
Another explosion shook the building, making the Decepticon even more agitated as he paced back and forth. He looked over at her and shook his head before walking over to her. He paused by Jessica's now-rotting body and tore off a piece of cloth that still clung to her body.   
"Be quiet and stay here," he grumbled as he approached Angel and stuffed the cloth into her mouth. Angel didn't dare resist despite wanting to throw up at the foul-smelling cloth. The Decepticon gave her a quick nod before rushing out of the building to join the fight.   
Angel looked up at the chains holding her up and groaned as she tried to move, hoping they could get loose. She wanted out now. The chains around her wrists dug painfully into her skin the more she struggled against them. She moved her back the wrong way and hissed in pain. Dammit. She hated this. She hated feeling like some damsel in distress in need of rescuing. She had to at least try and help herself, but she had quickly learned that there was no getting out of this without further injuring herself in the process.   
The windows in the large room suddenly exploded around her. Angel let out a muffled cry as she hid her face as best she could as small shards of glass fell on her, cutting her skin. That was going to be a pain to get out when she was safe.   
The fighting sounded like it was getting closer. Angry cries and gunfire filled the air, filling her with hope and dread. Who was winning? Were any of her allies okay? Not knowing what was going on made her all the more scared for what might happen next. She could only hope that by the end of the day she was going to be safe on the road with her friends.

Anna's heart nearly skipped a beat when she received the signal from Optimus. It was time.   
"Let's go, girls," she said as she got into their truck. The others got in and they were driving off. Anna looked out the window and saw that the giant dust cloud that surrounded the chaos had moved further away. They would still have to take a longer way around just in case. She knew her friends would be okay, but still prayed silently for their safety.   
"I hope that girl is still alive. I'm not sure if anyone can survive being around the Decepticons that long," one of her teammates said. Anna turned to look at her with wide eyes. The others all gave each other a knowing look in response.  
"I was held captive for months. I'm sure Angel's gonna be okay after a few days," Anna said before turning her attention back to the rapidly approaching warehouse. She felt a prickle in the back of her neck and shivered softly. Megatron was here somewhere. Hopefully, he was too busy fighting the others to confront her. Or he was possibly lying in wait for her. No. Optimus would have let her know if Megatron was absent from the battle. It was just going to be her and her team in there. They were going to face whoever was in there and rescue Angel.   
The truck was parked behind the warehouse and everyone cautiously got out. The sound of gunfire and angry yells filled the air, putting Anna on edge as she and her team checked the back for an entrance. She came across a door and checked for anything that might put her in danger. Nothing.  
"In here," she said before opening the door. It was dark inside. Anna turned her flashlight on and looked around. She tried to remember what the room where Angel was being held looked like. It was much more wide open compared to this smaller room. They had to keep going.   
"There was a section of the warehouse that looked much bigger. I think we're on the opposite end," one of her teammates said.  
"Then let's go," Anna said while going to another door and opening it. She paused and stood her ground when a distant explosion rocked the building. It felt close.  
"We gotta hurry," she murmured as she picked up the pace.   
They found themselves in a dark hallway. Anna did a quick sweep for any signs that might help them. Nothing. She wanted to just call out for Angel, but that could easily jeopardize the mission.   
They continued to walk down the hallway. A rather large door caught Anna's eye. She walked up to it and saw a sign next to it. Vehicle storage. That had to be it.  
"Ladies, I think this is it," Anna whispered as she walked up to the door and slowly opened it, her other hand ready to pull out her gun. She was greeted by a wide open room that was very similar to the one she saw in the video. A horrid smell also greeted her and saw the rotting body of Jessica at the far end of the room. She saw a raised platform and looked up to see Angel chained up. Angel perked up when the door opened and tried to look behind her. Her mouth had been gagged with a cloth, but she was still letting out muffled cries.   
"Thank god you're safe," Anna murmured as she stepped forward. The moment she stepped into the room, the door behind her slammed shut. Anna turned when she heard the sounds of her teammates crying out in surprise. Gunshots suddenly filled the air from the other side, followed by horrified screams. A trap.  
"No!" Anna screamed as she banged on the door and tried to pry it open. It wouldn't budge. The gunfire and the screams quickly died down. Anna stepped back, at a loss for words. She didn't know her team too well, but they didn't deserve this. She was on her own now.  
"Fuck," she murmured as she turned to go onto the platform where Angel was waiting. Another violent explosion shook the building, sending dust and debris falling to the floor.  
She got a better look at Angel when she got onto the platform and gasped at her condition. Her clothes had been torn to shreds, exposing her scarred body. There was a deep scratch wound that ran down her back that looked a lot like the scars that decorated her own back. It had been healing, but it looked like it had been reopened.The chains around her wrists had begun to dig into her skin, making her bleed. Small pieces of glass were stuck in her arms and her back. Her leg was bent in an angle that suggested that it could be dislocated or maybe broken.  
"H…Hi, Angel. I…I'm gonna get you out of here," she said, looking around for a way to free her. She went up to her and pulled the cloth out from her mouth. Angel let out a violent cough, tears welling up in her eyes.   
"Get…Get me out of here. He…He's gonna come and he…he has something awful planned for you and me," Angel murmured.  
"I'll get you out. Just let me figure this out," Anna replied, taking her vest off and draping it around Angel's shoulders. She looked up at the chains tied to a support beam overhead and wondered if she could shoot her loose. She could do that.   
"Okay, Angel. I'm going to hold you up and shoot the chains up there. Hopefully that will free you," she said as she wrapped an arm around her waist to support her.  
"Just…Just do what you can. I want out," Angel replied, closing her eyes and looking away. Anna aimed her gun and shot at the chains. It took a few seconds of shooting before the chains broke. Angel slumped down a bit, but Anna held her up.   
"Let's get you out of here, Angel," Anna said while helping her up. Another explosion shook the building, followed by cries and even more gunfire in the distance.   
The ground shook before a large door suddenly opened. Anna turned around and felt her blood run cold when she saw Megatron standing there. He breathed heavily as he stepped forward, the door closing shut behind him.  
"I was wondering where you were during the battle, my pet," he crowed, breathing smoke. His arm cannon was out, glowing hot and smoking heavily.   
"Stay behind me," Anna whispered as she pushed Angel behind her. Angel let out a soft whimper as she slowly backed away, looking around for any exit.   
"It's so good to finally see you again after all these years, my pet," he crowed as he stepped toward them. Anna remembered all of her training that had brought her to this day and opened fire at him, aiming for his chest. Megatron simply shielded his chest with his arm, growling softly as he got closer.  
"Stay back!" She screamed. This wasn't supposed to go down. She was supposed to take him down in a rain of gunfire. She knew where to hit him. She knew the Decepticon's weak spots. He was supposed to be dead.   
"You can stop now, Skyfall. It's useless to fight back," Megatron grumbled, stepping closer. Her arms were shaking as she finally stopped shooting, tears welling up in her eyes as she tried to figure out what she could do now. She remembered what Optimus had told her about contacting him if things were to go wrong, but she couldn't. She just couldn't.   
"Let's go home, my pet," Megatron crowed, smiling cruelly.   
"What are you doing? Shoot him!" Angel whispered in barely a whisper.  
"I…I can't," Anna whispered back, never taking her eyes off of Megatron. She took a deep breath, keeping her hand on her gun.   
"I'm…. not going back with you," she said, standing her ground. She wanted to shoot him again, but it was clear that it wouldn't do much to him.   
"Is that so? You don't have much of a choice, my pet. You don't want your friend to get hurt any further and what about that little girl you've adopted? Valerie? I think she'd make a great replacement for you," Megatron said with a dark chuckle.   
Anna felt a tightness in her chest when he said Valerie's name. How dare he threaten to take her child away?! She felt rage boil up within her as she found the energy to grab her gun again.  
"Touch my child and I swear to christ I'll gouge your damn eyes out!" She hissed as she shot at his face. Megatron growled, shielding his face with one hand and grabbing her quickly with the other. Anna cried out, but kept shooting at him until she ran out of ammo. Angel began to cry as she crawled over to a nearby wall, crying out for help.  
"Let me go!" Anna screamed while chucking the gun at him. She had many other weapons hiding in her pants and other pockets, but she couldn't exactly reach them at the moment.  
"If you continue to struggle, then I will have to punish you, Skyfall," Megatron grumbled, giving her a hard squeeze. Anna groaned in agony, her mind racing. She couldn't go back with him. That was death, but she couldn't damn her family or Angel to whatever horrible plan he had waiting for them. She had to think of something quick.  
"Now, are you going to come calmly or do I have to kill Angel first to get you to comply?" Megatron asked, aiming his arm cannon at Angel. Angel froze, looking at Anna with wide eyes full of horror.   
"I…I'll go…but…what about my family?" Anna asked, hoping she could stall a bit. There was a sound like thunder rumbling against the wall. Another explosion. Someone was coming.   
"They will join us, my pet. Won't that be wonderful? I look forward to seeing your child. She will be truly perfect. Maybe even better than you," Megatron crowed, petting the top of her head. Anna felt like she was going to vomit as memories from the past flooded her head. She wouldn't let him have Valerie.   
"I'm so glad you could be reasoned with, my pet. Now, Miss Angel. It's been a pleasure having you, but I look forward to seeing the look on Prime's face when he sees your burned, mangled body," he said as his arm cannon came to life.   
"No!" Anna screamed. Angel screamed as well before the the opposite wall suddenly exploded. A roar filled the air as the building began to crumble around them. Everything felt like a blur as Anna was dropped when Optimus charged into Megatron. She fell on her prosthetic arm and felt it shatter in some places. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the agonizing pain. She had to get to Angel.  
"Anna! Get Angel out of here!" Optimus ordered as he shot at Megatron.   
"You're not going anywhere, Skyfall!" Megatron roared, lunging toward Anna before being stopped by Optimus who stabbed him in the shoulder with his sword. Anna ran to Angel and got her to her feet.   
"I'm sorry about your legs, but we really have to get out of here," she said as she looked for an exit. She saw the exit Optimus had made and knew they only had moments to act. Angel grunted softly in pain, but didn't object as Anna practically dragged her to the exit while dodging the fighting robots. Megatron appeared desperate to get to her, but he was pushed back by Optimus until he fell against another wall, making it crumble.   
Anna ran out into the sunlight where she was immediately greeted by Ratchet. She could see the fighting in the distance. Multiple jets and burning Decepticons were retreating as the Nest soldiers and the rest of the Autobots shot at the ones who still stood their ground.   
"Let's get you two out of here," he said before transforming and opening his door. His arm shot out and carefully grabbed Angel, pulling her inside. Anna got in after her and shut the door as he drove off. Angel looked back, her eyes wide in shock. Anna looked back and saw Megatron fly away as the warehouse fell apart.  
"This isn't the end, my pet," his voice growled in her head. Anna shivered as the pain in her ruined arm got to her. Her family was in danger. She had to get home soon to make sure Grace and Valerie were okay.   
"There's Optimus! He's okay!" Angel exclaimed, pressing her hand against the window and grinning like an idiot. Anna saw Optimus driving out of the now burning building and felt a small sense of relief.   
Some time passed before Ratchet stopped at the designated meeting spot. Anna opened the door and helped Angel out as Optimus drove up along with the rest of the Nest teams.   
"Where's the rest of your team, Anna?" Lennox asked as he stepped out of Ironhide. His face was coated with dust and blood. Anna felt that dread set in as she remembered their screams.   
"Megatron set a trap that wasn't obvious. They're gone," Anna murmured, turning her attention to Optimus who had just transformed and was by Angel's side in an instant to check her wounds.   
"Damn. I don't think we'll be able to retrieve the bodies. That warehouse is totaled," Lennox said, shaking his head as he looked back at the burning remains of the building in the distance.   
"We will get back as much as we can when the fire dies. For now, we must tend to Angel and our wounded," Optimus replied. A human medic joined them to tend to Angel's wounds.   
"Her leg is damaged and glass is stuck in her skin. I think I made it worse while getting her out," Anna said, gripping her damaged arm as she went to join them. The human medic looked from her to Ratchet with wide eyes.   
"I'll help you with that, Anna," he said as he went to tend to her wound. Anna let him work his magic and looked over at Optimus and Angel as the medic tended to her injuries.   
"Are you injured anywhere else, Angel?" He asked. Angel grew silent, looking down at the ground as if embarrassed before slowly removing Anna's now bloody vest to reveal the wound on her back. It was bleeding heavily now. Anna felt sick to her stomach at the sight.  
"He did that to me," she murmured, tears welling up in her eyes. Anna could see the anger and sorrow in Optimus's eyes when he saw her injury. His hands were trembling and steam poured out of his nose and steam pipes.   
"We…We gotta get you back to Nest for that. That looks deep. Deeper than the wounds Anna got years ago" the medic said while pulling out multiple rolls of gauze and bandages. Anna nodded in agreement.   
"You're lucky to be alive, Angel. A scratch like that can be lethal," Ratchet said. Angel appeared grim as the medic began wrapping the gauze and bandages around her. Anna looked around and saw how everyone was catching up with details on the battle. Hound, Ironhide, and Crosshairs were together, sharing war stories. Crosshairs looked over at Optimus and smirked as he approached.   
"Are ya glad yer knight in shining armor saved ya, princess?" He crowed. It was clear that was trying to make the situation a little bit better. Angel blushed and smiled a bit as she looked up at Optimus. He glared at Crosshairs before turning his attention back to her, his expression softening.   
"I'm very glad you came, Optimus. Anna and I would have been in big trouble if you didn't come along," Angel said. Anna wanted to speak up, but she didn't want to interrupt their sweet moment. She turned her attention back to Ratchet who had finished up fixing the exposed wires and other damaged parts in her arm.  
She had so much to think about. Her family, the future, and Megatron. Why did she have to freeze up back there? She had gone through so much training meant to take down Decepticons and she just…froze. She couldn't let that happen again. Doing that again could possibly endanger her even more.  
"There we are. You're going to need more repairs back at Nest," Ratchet said while putting her damaged arm in a makeshift sling.   
"Thank you, Ratchet," Anna said before getting up and walking over to the rest of the soldiers. Ratchet followed close behind her. They had a lot to talk about and it looked like Angel and Optimus needed some time alone to talk about things. She glanced back at them and smiled when she saw Optimus grab a blanket from the medic's supplies and cover Angel with it. A sweet sight. 

Angel let out a soft sigh as the medic finally finished up treating her wounds. She hurt all over, but she was glad she was safe. Optimus had stayed by her side, ready to help if needed. By the time the medic finished treating her, he let out a mechanical sigh of relief, breathing steam in the process.  
A chill ran through her body as a night wind blew by and she pulled her blanket around her tightly. She was glad it had cooled off, but it didn't help that her clothes were shredded and all she had was the blanket to keep her warm.   
"How are you feeling, Angel? Do you need anything?" Optimus asked, noticing her chill.   
"It's cold, but…I think I'll be fine," she replied, blushing as he knelt by her side once more. He looked over at the others and then back at her before offering his hand to her.   
"Care for a walk? We won't be leaving here for a while and I'd like to…talk with you privately," he said.  
"Don't you need to be with your guys?" Angel asked.   
"They can manage without me for a few minutes," Optimus replied with a soft chuckle.   
Angel thought for a moment before smiling and carefully crawling onto his hand with his help. He was surprisingly warm to the touch as she was raised to chest level with him. She got to a comfortable sitting position that wouldn't irritate her damaged leg as he began to walk to the closest rock formation away from the group.   
Angel looked up and gasped softly when she saw the countless number of stars above her. It was beyond beautiful.   
"It's good to be away from the city. I can actually see all the stars," Optimus said. Angel nodded in agreement, resting her head against his chest and sighing softly at that wonderful warmth.   
"They're wonderful," Angel murmured. Her thoughts were all a jumbled mess. There was so much she wanted to tell him, but she didn't know where to even start.   
"I…I thought I was going to die back there. I knew you'd come, but I was still frightened," she started, letting out a heavy breath.  
"I was frightened as well, Angel. Seeing how Megatron treated you makes my spark ache. I couldn't stand by and let him harm you any further," Optimus said.   
"He….He knew you….He knew you liked me," Angel murmured, blushing when she said that. She had to know what he really felt of her. Megatron could be making things up.   
"Do…Do you like me, Optimus? Is what Megatron said about how you feel true?" She asked, looking up at him with a hopeful look in her eyes. He looked back at her with an expression full of gentleness and love that reminded her of the first few times she came across him back at Nest.   
"It's true, little one. I didn't think it was possible for me to form a sparkbond with a human, but it happened. The moment I saw you, I felt…a connection to you. My spark drew me to you every time I saw you or got a glimpse of you. The very thought of you makes my spark glow brighter," he said as his chest began to glow a bright blue. Angel felt tears of joy welling up in her eyes as she listened to him. She had heard about sparkbonds in her studies of the cybertronians.  
"And do you feel the same way for me, Angel?" He continued, gently caressing her bandaged cheek with a finger. Angel smiled a tired smile as she leaned into his touch. All her worries felt like they were melting away.  
"I…I do feel the same. At first I thought it was just admiration I felt for you for all you've done for earth, but after a while, my feelings grew stronger," she replied, blushing harder when she was raised to eye level with him.   
"Do you want this, Angel? Things will be all the more dangerous having you by my side, but I will do all I can to protect you from harm," he said, his expression growing serious. Angel paused, thinking for a moment. If they were to be together, she would be an easy target for the Decepticons. She could get kidnapped again. It was risky, but they could make it work. Anna had been living in her own home with Bumblebee and nothing had happened so far. Surely the Decepticons wouldn't try anything with her…right?  
"I do want this. I want to be with you, Optimus. We can make this work," she said. That serious look on his faceplates slowly melted away as a deep rumbling purr emanated from his chest.   
"We will make it work, little one," he said before pressing his forehead against hers. Angel let out a soft sigh as she did the same, gazing into his eyes while hugging the sides of his head. She couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to kiss him…  
"This is sweet and all, but are ya two gonna make out or what?" A loud voice called out from above. Angel let out a surprised cry and looked around to see Crosshairs watching them from his position on top of the rock formation they stood under. Optimus had pulled away, breathing steam as he glared up at Crosshairs who started to laugh.   
"You're supposed to be with the others Crosshairs," he grumbled.   
"What's going on? Did Prime finally build up the nerve to confess?" Hound's voice asked as he walked around the rock formation. He saw them and let out a chuckle.   
"He sure as hell did. Prime got himself a little sparkmate," Crosshairs crowed. Angel blushed, giggling softly before resting her head against his still glowing chest.   
"We should go back to the others before they all come here," she suggested.   
"A wise decision, Angel," Optimus said as he carried her back to the rest of the Nest team. Angel could hear Crosshairs and Hound badgering Optimus about her, but she ignored them, smiling up at him and the stars. She felt like the luckiest woman in the world. 

Megatron growled as he flew to where his followers where waiting for him. That certainly didn't go well, but he could always try again in the future. He knew how to torment Skyfall. He knew what frightened her the most. He had wanted to kill her when she ran. If he couldn't have her, then she was better off being dead. He could have Valerie. She would be easy to manipulate with the help of Laserbeak.  
It wasn't long before he saw where the other Decepticons were hiding out. He landed and transformed before them. Many of them were in horrible conditions.  
"Your plan didn't seem to go too well, Master. What are we going to do now?" Starscream asked as he tended to his injured arm.   
"We recover and wait. We may have been beaten this day, but we still have done some damage. My pet still fears me and I know what will get under her skin," he replied, looking at the rising smoke in the distance. He could see emergency vehicles approaching the ruined warehouse and further in the distance, the caravan of Autobots and Nest soldiers were quickly driving away.   
"Heal yourselves up as much as possible. We leave soon," Megatron announced. The others nodded and went to tending to themselves. Megatron gazed up at the night sky, thinking long and hard about what he was going to do with Skyfall.   
A moment passed before he noticed a rather large bird flying toward him. Laserbeak. Megatron smiled as the Decepticon landed before him, bowing slightly.   
"I return with wonderful news, my lord," he crowed.  
"Did you gain the child's trust?" Megatron asked.   
"I did, Master. The child sees me as a friend and she seems to believe what I have told her about you. I believe she will be eager to meet you when I visit her a few more times," Laserbeak crowed.   
"Excellent. Keep up the good work, my subject. I look forward to having that girl in my clutches," Megatron replied, chuckling darkly. He noticed Starscream glaring at him with a disgusted look on his faceplates, shaking his head slightly. He didn't understand. He couldn't understand how he felt, but there was no use lecturing him on that.   
"I believe my…grandchild is due for another visit, Laserbeak. Pay her a visit," he said.   
"As you wish, my lord," Laserbeak replied before flying off again. Megatron watched him fly away until he could barely see him amongst the stars. The day would come when he would have a loving pet again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Angel is finally safe and sound, but there's a long road to recovery before her. What will happen next for her and Anna? We'll see soon :D


	6. Darkness Rising

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Valerie finally meets the notorious Megatron

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahh, it's been so long ya'll :'D  
> Lots of creepy vibes in here along with another new character!

The ride back to the nearest Nest base was uneventful. Anna had been given pain meds which had knocked her in and out of consciousness for a while. She was just starting to wake up when she was carefully wheeled out of the truck and taken to the medical bay. She didn’t have the strength to talk as the doctors worked on her.  
She looked around and saw Angel being treated for her injuries. The poor thing looked so shaken up by everything. She had asked to see Optimus, but was told that she would have to wait until she was all healed up to see him. Optimus had objected when he was told that he couldn’t see Angel at the moment, but he did nothing else and let the doctors do their work.  
Anna drifted back to a dreamless sleep as she succumbed to the pain meds once again.   
She was awoken by a soft cry and looked around the new dimly lit room that she was sharing with Angel. The room was big enough to accommodate an Autobot.   
Anna looked over at Angel and saw that she was crying in her sleep. She was having a nightmare.  
“No...No! Don’t hurt them! No!” Angel whimpered in her sleep. Anna frowned as she tried to sit up. A stinging pain coursed through her and she looked at the source of her pain. Her bandaged stump of an arm looked absolutely dreadful. She cursed softly to herself when she saw blood staining the bandages.   
“No! Not her. She’s just a kid! Stop it!” Angel cried out before letting out a scream. Angel gasped as she quickly sat up in her bed, breathing heavily as she took in her surroundings.   
“It’s just a nightmare, Angel. Happens a lot when you deal with the Decepticons,” Anna said, wishing she could get out of the bed to comfort her. Angel tried to take a few deep breaths before shuddering softly.   
“It...It was awful. So awful, Anna,” Angel murmured as she wiped away the tears from her eyes. Anna simply nodded as she listened. She could only imagine what it was like for her. She had thought she had it bad, but after the events of the past few days, she could only imagine the horrors her new friend had been through.   
“Do….Do you know where Optimus is? I...I have to see him,” Angel said with a faint blush on her cheeks.   
“He’s probably in the Autobot hangar being briefed or recharging. I think you can see him now,” Anna replied.   
At that moment, the door to the room opened. Anna looked over and watched as multiple doctors and nurses walked into the room  
“How are you two feeling?” The head doctor, Isabella Kirkland, asked them.   
“Dreadful. How long were we out?” Anna asked as a nurse went over to her side to reapply the bandages on her stump.  
“It’s been almost three days. You poor things were exhausted,” the nurse chimed.   
“Can I see Optimus now?” Angel asked as Isabella checked her bandaged injuries.   
“Almost, dear. You know, Optimus has been asking about you two a lot. Especially you, Miss Angel. I’ve never seen him so worried before,” Isabella said with a knowing look in her eyes. Anna smirked as she looked over at Angel who got even redder in the cheeks.   
“He could just barge in here if he wanted to, but he’s been quite the gentleman despite looking real pissed about not seeing you,” Isabella continued while inspecting Angel’s leg.   
Anna nodded and looked around for her phone. It was resting on the nightstand next to her bed. She took a deep breath and braced herself for the inevitable onslaught of messages and missed calls from her family. In her drugged out state, she could faintly recall that her family had been notified of her condition. They were probably worried sick waiting for her to call or message them.   
Anna grabbed her phone with her free hand and unlocked it. A soft sigh escaped her lips when she saw the multitude of worried texts from Grace. She couldn’t help but smile as she read them. God, she missed her and Valerie. She would video chat with them as soon as she was more awake. For now, she just sent a text to Grace telling her that she was safe and making a speedy recovery. Barely a minute passed before Grace messaged her back asking what had happened and if she was severely injured.   
“I’m safe now, babe. I’ll be needing a new arm and lots of rest, but overall, I’m good. I’ll be home in a few days. Tell Val I love her and that I’ll be coming home soon. Love you,” she replied before setting her phone down.   
She turned her attention back to Angel who was still being treated by Isabella. Angel appeared embarrassed about something despite the shy smile on her lips.   
“You should be good to go in a few days, Miss Angel. I highly suggest avoiding too much physical activity. Don’t want to mess up your leg any further,” Isabella chimed.  
“Yes ma’am,” Angel replied as she laid back down.   
“When should I get a replacement arm?” Anna asked.   
“We’ll have one brought here by the end of the day, dear. You two get some more rest and food will be brought in soon,” Isabella said before leaving the room with the nurses.  
Anna smiled as she watched Angel. She had her eyes glued on the extra large door that was made for the Autobots.   
“So, what did Isabella tell you that made you look all red in the face?” Anna asked, eager to lighten the mood a bit.   
“Oh..She told me more about how Optimus has been badgering her about letting him in to see us. She then asked if we were a couple and...and when I said yes...she said that I’d have to wait a while before…,” she trailed off before giggling softly. Anna realized what she meant and smirked.   
“Oh. You’re already thinking about that?” She asked.  
“Well, Isabella brought it up and now I’m thinking about it,” Angel replied, hiding her face in her hands to hide her shy smile and reddening cheeks. She was absolutely adorable.   
“Do...Do you think Optimus would want to...with...with me?” Angel asked while gazing at the ceiling. She sounded so tired.  
“I think so. He likes you and you like him. Once you’re feeling better you can spend more time with him and get closer,” Anna replied.   
“I’ll feel much better if I can just see him and talk to him,” Angel murmured before going quiet. Anna looked over at her and saw that she was fast asleep with a soft smile on her lips.   
“Sweet dreams,” Anna whispered. She glanced around the room and noticed a surveillance camera watching her. That familiar tingle rushed down her neck and spine, making her frown. He was watching her, but he would never have her.   
“Leave us alone,” she growled before relaxing in the bed and drifting back to sleep.  
“I never will,” that voice whispered.

Valerie sat alone in her room, reading a book about princesses to keep her mind off what was currently happening. Mama Sky got hurt at work. A day ago, some people in big trucks came by and when Mama Grace saw them roll into the driveway, she looked so scared and ready to cry. Valerie didn’t understand why she looked so scared before the men broke the news that Mama Sky got hurt on a mission of some kind and that it would be some time before she and Uncle Bumblebee came home. When Mama Grace told her about what happened, Valerie was crestfallen. Mama Grace had told her many times that Mama Sky would often take longer to come home and would sometimes get hurt on the job, but she still hated hearing such news. It scared her knowing that her mama was hurt somewhere.   
Valerie looked over at her closed doorway. Mama Grace was busy talking on the phone. She could go down and ask to play with her, but she would probably just tell her to wait and watch tv instead. With a sigh, she went back to her book. She was just getting to the part where the princess encountered a talking magical peacock when she heard a light tapping at her window. Valerie looked over and gasped when she saw Laserbeak looking in on her, a jagged smile on his faceplates.   
“Laserbeak!” She exclaimed as she went to the window and opened it.   
“It’s so good to see you, my little friend. It’s been too long,” he crowed as he fluttered into her room.   
“I missed you, Laserbeak,” Valerie said while hugging him around his neck.   
“And I missed you as well, my dear Valerie,” Laserbeak replied while wrapping his wings around her. They felt so comforting despite being so cold to the touch. Valerie eventually pulled away from her friend and smiled at him sadly. Laserbeak cocked his head as if confused.   
“Why do you look so sad, my friend?” He asked.   
“My mama got hurt on the job and she and Uncle Bumblebee won’t be home for a few days,” Valerie told him. He was her friend. She could tell him anything.   
“Oh, how dreadful! Your poor mama has a tough job. Injuries are bound to happen sooner or later,” Laserbeak said. That was right. She was told that many times before.   
“It’s such a shame that she has to be in such a dangerous job. I know just the thing to ensure that you and your mamas will be safe,” he said with a faint red glint in his optics. Valerie gave him a curious look. Mama Sky loved her job. She said that multiple times. She was certain her mama wouldn’t want to change her job, but if it meant being safe, then she was all ears.   
“What are you talking about, Laserbeak?” She asked him.   
“You must trust me first, my friend. I have a way for you to contact Megatron. He will tell you everything you need to know,” Laserbeak replied.   
“Really? Are we gonna call him?” Valerie asked, her eyes wide with wonder at the idea of finally meeting her supposed grandfather.   
“Not exactly, my friend. I just need to inject you with this small device that will connect the two of you. It might be scary, but it will only hurt for a moment,” Laserbeak replied while extending one of his wings and plucking a rather large needle that was hidden amongst his metallic feathers. Valerie froze at the sight of the needle. That was going to hurt. Laserbeak noticed her discomfort and chuckled softly.   
“Don’t worry, my friend. The pain will only be fleeting. It’s so sharp you will barely feel a thing,” he crowed. That didn’t sound good.   
“I...I don’t know. It looks like it will hurt a lot,” Valerie murmured while rubbing the spot on her arm where she usually got shots. She could remember the pain from past shots. This was probably going to be worse.   
“Don’t be afraid, little one. Once this is over, you will be able to see your dear grandfather. You can trust us,” Laserbeak crowed. Valerie was silent for a moment. She wanted to call out to Mama Grace for assistance, but she could only imagine the chaos that would ensue when she saw an intruder in her house. The thought of finally meeting the one who could give her answers overpowered her fears and concerns about the needle.   
“Will...Will it go in my arm?” She asked as she reluctantly held out her arm for him.   
“No, child. It’ll go into the back of your neck. It’ll feel strange for a moment, but it will go away quickly,” Laserbeak explained. The back of her neck? That sounded painful, but she trusted her friend.   
“Okay,” Valerie murmured as she turned her back to him while closing her eyes shut. Her heart was racing in terror and anticipation.   
“Take a deep breath and think of something nice, Valerie,” Laserbeak instructed. Valerie did as she was told and took a deep breath. She was thinking of sword practice with her Papa Prime when she felt a strange pressure in the back of her neck. She frowned when it began to sting. She ground her teeth together to stop herself from crying out, resulting in a soft whimper.  
“Hush. You’re alright, Valerie. It’s already over,” Laserbeak purred. After hearing his words, the pain quickly went away. Valerie opened her eyes and breathed a big sigh of relief as she turned to look at her friend.   
“Thank you, Laserbeak,” she said, wiping away the stray tears in her eyes.  
“I should be thanking you for going through with this, Valerie. You’re very brave for such a young human,” Laserbeak crowed while nuzzling the side of her cheek. Valerie smiled at the action and hugged him again.   
“What do I do next?” She asked him after a few moments.   
“Well, when you go to sleep tonight, you will dream and Megatron will be there to talk with you,” Laserbeak replied. It was that simple? Valerie rubbed the back of her neck and pulled it back to see a speck of blood there. She hoped she wasn’t bleeding a lot.   
“How do you know it’ll work?” She asked.   
“It worked with your dear Mama Sky before those Autobots severed their connection,” Laserbeak said, showing visible anger at the mention of the Autobots. Valerie wanted to ask more questions, but it looked like she would have answers when she slept tonight. She just wanted to do something else for now.   
“Laserbeak, can you tell me a story?” She asked, eager to hear a story about space and all the many wonders it held.   
“I’m not the best at telling stories, but I’ll do what I can, my sweet friend,” Laserbeak crowed while sitting down next to her.   
“What would you like to hear about?” He asked while resting his head on her lap.   
“Hmm, I wanna hear about Cybertron,” Valerie chimed while petting his head. She glanced over at her closed door in case Mama Grace was coming, but heard nothing.  
“Excellent choice, Valerie,” Laserbeak said. 

Valerie sighed softly as she laid in her bed. Laserbeak had left a few hours ago. He had promised to come back soon. He didn’t say how many days it would be, but she would count the days until she met him again. He had told her a wonderful story about Cybertron and how great it was before the Autobots started that awful war. She made a note to ask her Papa Prime about the war and see it from his side.   
“You feeling okay, Val? You’ve been real quiet,” Mama Grace said as she tucked her in.   
“I...I miss Mama Sky. When will she be home?” Valerie asked.   
“In a few days, baby. She still has to recover from her injuries,” Mama Grace replied, smiling sadly at her. Valerie simply nodded her head as she listened.   
“Hey, this is supposed to be a surprise, but I’m gonna tell you this now. We’re gonna have a video chat with Mama Sky tomorrow. She’s making a speedy recovery and she told me that we can video chat by tomorrow. Isn’t that great?” She chimed. Valerie perked up at that. That was something to really look forward to.   
“That’s awesome! I hope she and Uncle bee can come home soon. I wanna make them cards and give them big hugs,” she said with a soft giggle.   
“I’m sure they’ll love that, baby. Now, you get some rest. The sooner you sleep, the sooner tomorrow will come,” Mama Grace cooed before kissing her forehead. Valerie’s smile grew at the thought of all these good things happening.  
“I love you, Mama Grace,” she chimed as her mama got up to go to the door. Mama Grace paused and smiled back at her sweetly.  
“I love you too, Valerie. More than anything,” she said before turning the lights out in her room. Valerie sighed softly and laid down, gazing up at her ceiling. The only light in her room came from her princess nightlight that glowed red and blue like her Papa Prime.   
She was finally going to meet Megatron when she fell asleep. The very thought of seeing him both excited and scared her. She had heard so many awful things when eavesdropping on her parents. Mama Sky sounded so scared of him. What had happened to make her so scared of the one who supposedly took care of her? She would find out soon.   
She rubbed the back of her neck again and felt that it was oddly cool to the touch and it tingled a bit when she touched it. It made her giggle a bit before it slowly went away.   
“Go to sleep,” she whispered to herself as she closed her eyes...

Valerie found herself in a dark place that wasn’t her bedroom. She looked around for any sign of life or light, feeling more and more scared about what might be hiding in the dark.   
“He...Hello? Is anyone there?” She called out. This dark place felt so lonely, but something within told her that she wasn’t alone.   
Valerie decided to walk forward in hopes of finding anything that could help her get out of this dark place. Was this what Laserbeak promised she would dream about? Where was Megatron? Why was this place so scary?   
“Are....Are you here?” She called out again.   
A moment passed and she could hear a mechanical hum that sounded like it was all around her. Her surroundings began to change as well. She was no longer in the dark. It looked like she was in a big hallway dimly lit by alien lights. The hallway looked like it went on forever as she kept on walking. Valerie frowned in confusion when she felt something strange pull her forward. It was almost like something was guiding her forward. Where was she walking to? The more she walked, the more of her surroundings she took in.  
She came across some rather large windows and paused to look. She gasped softly when she saw the vast expanse of space before her. She rushed over to the biggest window to get a better look at everything. She could so many colorful planets and stars before her. It was absolutely beautiful. She had read so much about space and always loved the idea of going out to explore. Hearing more about space from her Papa Prime was always wonderful as well. The more she looked, the more she realized these planets didn’t look like the ones she had seen in her many books. These were completely different.   
“Where am I?” She asked to no one in particular.   
As if on cue, she could hear very heavy footsteps slowly approaching. Valerie turned around and saw a dark figure in the distance. Was this Megatron? He was huge! Valerie remembered all the things Laserbeak had told her about how he wanted to meet her and that she should trust him, but all she could feel now was terror. She wanted to run, but something kept her from moving. All she could do was crouch down and cover her face in fear. This was a bad dream. Laserbeak lied to her. Megatron was scary. All the things Mama Sky had told her looked like they were true.   
“Don’t be afraid, Valerie. You are safe,” an unfamiliar voice grumbled softly. It was gentle, but commanding.   
Valerie could hear the familiar sound of the being bending down to be at her level. She had heard this multiple times and knew that whoever was with her was right in front of her. She took a deep breath and pulled her hands away from her face to look up. What she saw terrified and amazed her. Megatron was much much bigger than Optimus and the other Autobots she had seen. She felt so tiny under his terrifying red-eyed stare. Something didn’t feel right even though he said that she was safe.  
“You...You....You’re Megatron,” was all she could manage to say. Her fear was getting the better of her as she felt tears welling up in her eyes. She had never seen anything as scary as him before.  
“I am, little one. And you are Valerie Sky. It is so good to finally meet you,” Megatron crowed as he reached out to her with very sharp-looking fingers. Valerie winced and covered her eyes again. He was going to hurt her with those sharp fingers! They were much more different compared to Optimus and the rest of the Autobots. Everything about her supposed grandfather screamed danger!  
Valerie froze when she felt a cool finger caress the top of her head. It was sharp, but it was also gentle. It reminded her of the many times Bumblebee tousled her hair.  
“I would never harm you, my fragile one. You can open your eyes again,” Megatron said. Valerie did as she was told and looked up at him. He was still terrifying as he smiled, revealing sharp disgusting teeth.   
“Laserbeak...he didn’t tell me you were...you were so...so scary,” Valerie said. She could hear her heart beating a mile a minute in her chest. Something inside her was screaming at her to get very far away from him, but she stayed rooted to the spot as she gazed up at him. A horrible deep rumbling sound came from Megatron’s chest as pulled his fingers away from her. He was chuckling.   
“Looks can be deceiving, little one. You must have heard the term ‘Don’t judge a book by its cover’ before, have you?” He asked. Valerie had heard it before. She felt a hint of shame that she was quick to judge him just by his appearance, but he was just so big and scary!   
“I have,” she said while gazing down at her feet in embarrasment. It was starting to get brighter in the darkened hallway. It didn’t look as scary as before.   
“Where am I?” She asked as she looked up at him again. There was a gentle look on his faceplates as he smiled again.   
“You’re on my spaceship, little one. This is where I plan to bring you and your mothers when you join me. It’s much safer compared to what is going down on your planet,” Megatron explained as he walked over to the large window to gaze out at space. Valerie dared to walk over to stand by his side to look out as well.   
“Do you like it, Valerie?” He asked. Valerie had so many questions to ask. She didn’t know where to even start. She then realized something.  
“It’s beautiful, but there’s no air in space. Ms. Marie said so at school. We wouldn’t be able to breathe,” she said.   
“That is very true, Valerie. Which is why I’m having oxygen machines made to help you breathe,” Megatron crowed. That sounded good.   
"Would you like to have a better look at what’s out there, my fragile one?” Megatron asked as he bent down to get on her level. He held out a hand which looked like a razor trap. Valerie wanted to refuse his offer but remembered that he wouldn’t harm her and was looking forward to meeting her.   
“I’m not fragile. I’m brave and strong. Papa Prime told me that,” she muttered as she carefully clambered onto his hand. She noticed the angry look in his optics when she mentioned Optimus as she was lifted to be chest level with him, but it quickly disappeared.  
“You are very brave, little one. Forgive me,” Megatron said with a chuckle. Valerie smiled and turned her attention to what was outside the window. She let out a gasp when she saw multiple shooting stars in the distance. She made a wish that this dream wouldn’t turn out to be scary.   
“I’ve only heard bad things about you. Are they true?” She decided to ask him. His chest let out a rumbling growl as he sighed loudly. It sounded sad and angry.  
“Unfortunately, most of what you heard is true, little one. Horrible things must be done when battling a war for many years. You have only heard twisted lies from the other side, but you haven’t heard how it is from my perspective,” Megatron said while gently petting the top of her head.   
“Mama Sky told me lots of stuff about you. She said you were bad and that..that you hurt her,” Valerie replied. She could remember the time she saw those scars on her mama’s back when they went to the pool and asked about them. The explanation she got terrified her. She looked at Megatron’s sharp fingers and shuddered at the thought of him possibly hurting her.   
“Your mother...was an ungrateful child when I first took her in, Valerie. I did all I could to protect her and yet she disobeyed me countless times. I had to punish her and she eventually learned to love me until she was taken away by the Autobots,” he said while bringing her to eye level. He was much scarier up close.   
“Parents shouldn’t hurt their kids. It’s mean,” Valerie said, frowning. All he had said sounded wrong. Megatron sighed again, blowing warm air into her face.   
“I hated doing it, Valerie. It always pained me to my core seeing my poor Skyfall in agony, but it had to happen. Sometimes love hurts, and I loved her a lot,” he grumbled. That was so confusing! Love shouldn’t hurt, right? Mama Sky loved Mama Grace and they didn’t hurt each other. Papa Prime and the rest of the Autobots loved her and they wouldn’t dare hurt her. Were things just different for the Decepticons?  
“What...happened when Mama Sky was taken away? How did it happen?” She asked. Megatron grew silent as he turned away from the window and walked down the hallway. She could hear the sounds from within his body as he walked. They were so similar to the sounds Optimus Prime made, but they were louder and more...aggressive.   
“The Autobots attacked us. I told your mother to hide and wait for me. We were pushed out of our base of operations and I couldn’t return for her. Optimus found her and took her back to the humans responsible for destroying her home and turned her against me. It took me four years to find her again and bring her safely back once more, but that didn’t last long either. The Autobots and their allies brainwashed your mother to believe that I had tormented her and destroyed her home,” Megatron grumbled. Valerie remembered asking the Autobots about what had happened to he mother and they always grew quiet and unsure how to answer. Was this why they didn’t tell her?   
“I was told different things-,” Valerie started before she was cut off by a low growl from Megatron.  
“You can’t believe everything you hear, little one,” he said as he walked into a large room. Valerie glanced around and saw other beings in the room. Decepticons. They watched on silently as Megatron walked toward a rather large throne. It was bigger than the ones she had seen in her storybooks.  
“We fight for a good cause, Valerie. I’m trying to help my people survive, but the Autobots and their allies are always trying to stop us,” Megatron said as he went to sit on the throne. He gently picked up Valerie and placed her on the arm of the throne. She hadn’t heard about him trying to help his people. That sounded like something a good leader would do for his people.   
Valerie watched on curiously as Megatron opened a panel on his throne and pulled out a small blue cube. Upon retrieving the blue cube, the sound of running and growling filled the air. Valerie turned to see five very small Decepeticons rushing over. They looked starving as they rushed over to stand before Megatron.   
“Our future is in jeopardy, Valerie. More and more of our hatchlings are dying everyday because we don’t have enough energon to keep them alive and strong,” Megatron murmured as he crushed the blue cube and let the remains sprinkle to the ground. The hatchlings scrambled to grab the pieces. Valerie couldn’t take her eyes off of them. There was a smaller hatchling that barely got anything and whined as it looked up at Megatron with a look of desperation when the largest of the group pushed it away from the tiny pieces. Valerie wanted to help, but there wasn’t much she could do. Megatron sighed softly, shaking his head at the hatchling.   
“I’m so sorry, little one. Maybe tomorrow,” he said while shooing the hatchlings away. The smallest one let out a soft cry, clutching its chest as if in pain before rushing off.  
“That’s so sad,” Valerie murmured as she watched the hatchlings scramble away.   
“It is very sad, Valerie. We’ve been trying our hardest to find energon on your planet, but every time we get close, the Autobots push us back with the help of their humans,” Megatron replied.   
“Why? You’re just trying to survive,” Valerie said, looking up at him with wide eyes.   
“If I told you, you would be stuck in this dream-like state for days. Weeks maybe. Once you and your parents are safe here with me, I will tell you everything,” Megatron crowed while reaching forward to caress her cheek with a single claw. Valerie shivered at his cold touch. Valerie had so much to think about. She had learned so much and so little about Megatron and the Decepticons. She still had so many questions to ask as well.   
“When will I finally meet you in real life?” She asked him.   
“It could be a few days or a few weeks, Valerie. I’m still planning on how to get you and your parents here safely without alerting the Autobots. It depends on how soon you want to join me. I already have someone picked out to escort you to our nearest base on Earth,” Megatron replied while gesturing to his followers. Valerie looked over to who he was talking about and saw one of the Decepticons step forward. While most of the Decepticons were dark colors such as grey or black, this was different. This one was golden with patches of black around her joints. From the looks of it, the Decepticon looked female. Long gold and black wire-like cables that looked like hair covered her face which she pulled away to reveal cat-like red eyes that gazed at her curiously. She smiled and revealed a mouth full of small sharp teeth. She could have been around Bumblebee’s size the closer she got. She was scary, but not as scary compared to Megatron.   
“Valerie, this is Goldshock. She will be your escort and guardian when the time comes for you to join me,” Megatron said. Goldshock took a knee, bowing her head a bit.  
“It shall be an honor to bring such an important little human to my master,” Goldshock purred in a voice like honey. Valerie couldn’t help but smile. Goldshock seemed nice.   
Everything suddenly started to get darker and the throne began to slowly disappear. Valerie looked back at Megatron in confusion and saw that he was calm as he held out his hand. She crawled on and was brought up to eye level with him again..  
“You’re waking up, little one. You don’t have to worry. You will return here when you dream and if you ever feel scared or alone out there, just know that we are now connected,” Megatron explained while touching the back of her neck where Laserbeak had stuck her. Valerie nodded, smiling up at him shyly.   
“Thank you,” she said.  
“I look forward to seeing you again, Valerie,” Megatron said as he began to disappear along with the room.

“Valerie? Wake up, honey,” Mama Grace’s voice whispered in her ear. Valerie groaned softly as she opened her eyes, looking up at her mama tiredly. Mama Grace smiled down at her before pecking her on the cheek.  
“It looks like you slept really good, baby,” she crowed. Valerie took in her surroundings and saw that she was back in her room. That really was a dream.   
“I did,” she murmured as she rubbed at her eyes.   
“Well, let’s get up. I’ll make some pancakes and then we’ll call Mama Sky after. How’s that sound?” Mama Grace chimed.  
“Can we have chocolate chip pancakes?” Valerie asked. She couldn’t stop thinking about what she had seen in her dream. She saw Megatron and he was scary, but he was kind to her. She was still unsure about some things, but she knew she would learn to trust him.   
“Of course, baby. Today’s a special day,” Mama Grace said.   
Valerie got out of bed and paused to look out the window. He was out there somewhere. She felt a warm tingle in the back of her neck and rubbed at it instinctually.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The cycle is about to start again...


End file.
